


The New Adventures of Nomi Darklighter

by NomiDarklighter



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-20
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2018-12-17 18:57:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 63
Words: 49,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11857641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NomiDarklighter/pseuds/NomiDarklighter
Summary: The adventures of the Jedi and X-wing pilot Nomi Darklighter during the events of the Sequel Trilogy.





	1. Dagobah

**Author's Note:**

> If you don't like stories where OCs meddle with characters from the movies and novels you should move along. ;)  
> Please keep in mind that English isn't my native language.  
> Feel free to leave a comment.
> 
> And now, enjoy the story.

\- Prologe -

Many standard years were gone since Nomi Darklighter and her family secluded themselves to Dagobah. There were years of peace and solitude, only interrupted through occasional visits of their four children. Despite their doubts on Luke Skywalker's ability to train Jedi, Dash and Nomi had agreed when he offered them to show their Force sensitive offspring the ways of the Force.  
The triplets were in the meantime 30 standard years old and their sister Tasherit, the nestling, was 29 standard years old. Nomi sat sometimes in the little cabin, while the rain pelted down and asked herself, where the time has gone.  
Yes, it was peaceful in their self-imposed exile, but it was a deceptive calm.

\- Chapter 1 -

Dagobah

Nomi was in the kitchen in order to prepare supper for herself and Dash, when the roar of X-wing engines the swamp's common background noise interrupted. Dash stuck his head in the kitchen door. "Are you expecting a visitor, Darling?" Nomi knitted her brow, whilst she deliberated. "No, Dash," she answered after a moment's hesitation. Dash nodded. "Me not either." He drew his blaster. "I should take a look. Stay back."  
After a few moments later Dash came back. In his company was someone clad in a long, gray hooded cloak. When his companion slowly doffed his hood, Nomi couldn't suppress a gasp. It was Luke Skywalker... but how did he look? His expression was like he were bearing the burden of the whole universe on his shoulders. It seems as he was prematurely aged. He must has damped his presence in the Force, it was the only explanation why Nomi hadn't felt her old childhood friend.

Luke settled slowly down on a stool near the stove. He breathed hard and it seemed that he must collect himself. Nomi looked at him and asked: "Why are you here and not at the academy?" Luke sighed and then he answered. "Nomi, Dash, I'm so sorry..." Dash interrupted him: "Why are you sorry, Luke?" Luke sighed again. "The academy doesn't exist any longer. All went so terribly wrong. Ben, one of my pupils, has betrayed us." Nomi interrupted him. "I hope you don't speak about Leia's and Han's son." Luke nodded slowly his head and it was to be seen, that it was hard for him to continue speaking. "He was always rebellious and tended to throw a tantrum. But I thought it was because he's Han's son. You know that Han disapprove of the Force and the Jedi. For him all was mumbo-jumbo. I thought that he has too much influence on his son. And perhaps that Ben has inherited too much of his grandfather. It was growing worse and one day Ben was vanished. I wasn't worried since he vanished occasional for a few standard days.  
But this time his absence prolonged, Nomi. And then he came back and he wasn't alone. We were no match for the invading forces. The academy was destroyed completely. The new Jedi order - is extinct."

During his report Luke had looked to the ground, but when there wasn't any reaction of his audience, he looked up. He glanced in Nomi's horrified and Dash's angry face. His voice was thick with emotion when he continued: "There were many casualties..." Dash interrupted him. "What about our children, Luke?" Luke shook his head. "I don't know. We were unable to identify the dead. The heat of the fire was so intense, all were burned beyond recognition." Dash cast a worried glance at his wife. He has bided to see her in tears, but Nomi was totally calm. 'Probably the shock, to have lost all four children at once,' he thought. Gently he put his arm around her, but she shook him off. She looked him straight in the eyes. "Our children aren't dead, Dash. I would have felt it in the Force..."


	2. Dagobah

Nomi's sleep was fitful. In her dream she saw the burning academy and a black-clad figure with a helmet and a bizarre mask hiding the face completely. The figure wielded a cross guarded lightsaber, which looked imperfect, because it had a choppy blade. They looked like the cross guards, she had seen on old weapons in a museum on Coruscant. But despite the lightsaber's obvious imperfection the figure killed one Jedi pupil after the other. Suddenly she saw Tasherit attacking the figure with activated lightsaber. They fought, but the assailant was stronger than her and hold the upper hand. Tasherit fell to the ground and looked up, anticipating the killing stroke. It seemed she had sensed something, when she despite her obviously fear of death wrinkled her forehead. "Ben?" She said nothing else, only this name.  
Her adversary hissed angrily: "This name doesn't mean anything to me. I am Kylo Ren. And now prepare to face the Force." He lifted the lightsaber for the killing stroke, when Dash jr. leapt with activated lightsaber between them. Kylo's lightsaber swished down...  
Nomi had awoke with a scream. Being half asleep she heard Luke's starting X-wing. She fumbled for Dash, but his part of the bed was empty. When she was about to leave the cabin, her husband came her way. "The kid has wanted to go. I don't know whereto. He gave me this." Then he mumbled: "We should never have sent our children to him at this damn academy."  
"Yes, maybe it had would been better, Dash. But who else should have taught them the ways of the Force?"  
Dash shrugged and looked at his wife with a knowing look.  
"Oh no, Darling, certainly not me."

Thoughtful she turned the antique data store in her hand, Dash had gave her.  
"What's this, Dash?"  
"I've no idea. But Luke asked me that you bring this thing to a man named Lor San Tekka on Jakku."  
Nomi looked quizzically at her husband.  
"I don't know why he doesn't hands it over by himself. If it was up to me, we would better search for our children." Dash sighed. "Why are we always in such mess?"

During breakfast Dash's faithful droid Leebo came in.  
"Nomi, there had some New Republic officer sent a message."  
Nomi Darklighter interrupted her meal that she had prepared after an old recipe of Master Yoda and cast a glance at the droid. The old droid staggered slightly. There seemed something wrong with his balance sensors. But this wasn't her problem. Leebo was Dash's droid and he should take care of this issue. Deliberately she continued eating. The New Republic doesn't cared for her and her family for years, had forgotten about them. So it doesn't matter, if the ominous officer have to wait a little bit longer for an answer.  
"It had sounded urgent, Nomi."  
Dash nudged his wife with the elbow. "Maybe they know something about our children."  
Nomi shook her head. "The triplets and Tasherit would have contacted us. Why should they contact the New Republic?"

But she stood up nevertheless heading to the tiny com unit situated in a corner and settled in front of it.  
The transmission was hardly audible and the officer's image flickered.  
"Comman... Darkl..." Nomi adjusted the decrepit com unit, dating from the era of the Galactic Civil War and started the recorded message again.  
Now the image, showing a young man, was stable and the message was loud and clear.  
"Commander Darklighter..."  
'Commander Darklighter' - it was long ago when she was addressed by her rank the last time.  
The officer continued: "Your attendance at Hosnian Prime is required. You should come without delay. Major Starr, over!"  
Nomi reclined thoughtful in the small chair standing before the com unit.  
This Major Starr was young, too young for having combat experience. Certainly one of those so called victory kids, conceived in the flush of victory after the Battle of Endor. Nomi hated those automatic promotions, that were common since the end of the Rebellion and the inception of the New Republic.  
She had earned her rank through combat missions as pilot and sighed when she thought at the many friends and comrades she had lost during such missions. It were hard times and the fight against the Empire had a high blood toll in the ranks of the Alliance. And what for? Even on Dagobah they knew about the politics on the new Capitol planet Hosnian Prime. The senate was divided in Centrists and Populists, who accused each other, when something was in a sorry state. Those arguments and intrigues had cost Senator Leia Organa her appointment and had hindered her candidacy for the newly created position of the First Senator. A senator named Lady Carise Sindian had played intel in the hands of a young unexperienced Centrists senator which revealed that Leia was Darth Vader's daughter.  
Nomi recalled vividly the look on Leia's face, when she had reported her, how the senate members had reacted to Senator Ransolm Casterfo's revelation. She had trusted Casterfo, even almost seen a friend in him. And he stabbed her in front of the whole senate in a metaphorical sense a vibro knife in the back. Leia became a persona non grata. Nobody, with some exceptions wanted to be seen with the daughter of the loathsome Darth Vader. Leia's merits during the Rebellion doesn't counted any longer. In Tai-Lin Karr the Populists found a new candidate for the post as First Senator, who fell shortly afterwards victim to an assassination performed by an Imperial sympathizer. According to Leia certain files were manipulated so Casterfo was as alleged accomplice extradited to his home planet for trial. She was pretty sure that he was sentenced to death because of high treason.  
The irony in this sad affaire was that Casterfo himself had voted for the reintroduction of death penalty on Riosa. Leia was sure, that there would be a new war and that Senator Casterfo was its first innocent victim. Maybe Nomi would learn more on Hosnian Prime.

Early in the morning Nomi and Dash had prepared for the flight. Leebo carried the last crate aboard the Outrider. Nomi clipped her lightsaber at her belt, when Dash entered the little bunk. He grinned broadly. "Seems you can't wait to go to Hosnian Prime, Darling."  
His wife casted a mischievous look at him. "Have you ever seen that I jump, when someone snap his fingers? Hosnian Prime and the New Republic can wait. Our old friend's assignment comes first. Furthermore is Jakku on our way. It will be better if you carry your blaster, Dash."  
Still grinning Dash pointed at the heavy blaster in a holster dangling from his belt.  
"My baby comes with me. You know how careful I am."  
Dash slumped in the Outrider's pilot seat shortly afterwards. After a rigorous systems check he started the engines, while Nomi settled down in the co-pilot's seat. The freighter slowly lifted in Dagobah's cloudy sky. When they reached the jump point, Dash punched Jakku's co-ordinates in and they entered hyperspace.


	3. Jakku

The Outrider approached Jakku after an eventless journey through hyperspace. Nomi looked curiously out of the window, when they entered the planet's atmosphere.  
"Ground control, here Outrider. Requesting landing permission."  
A bored voice was heard via com.  
"Landing permission granted, Outrider. I'm transmitting the co-ordinates. And I advice you not to depart from them."  
Dash wrinkled his forehead. "It seems they aren't overly friendly here."  
When he cast a glance at his wife, he noticed her slightly disgusted expression.  
"What's the matter, Darling?"  
Nomi's eyes were wandering over the endless sands, where relics of X-wings, TIEs and even a Star Destroyer stuck out. At Jakku there must had been a great battle during the Galactic Civil War.  
"Why of all things must it be a desert planet? Again constantly sand in the clothes, in the boots, against the skin and between the teeth. I don't like this, Dash."  
When hearing his wife's complaining he laughed.  
"Hey, why are you complaining? It must be like home for you."  
"That's what bothers me exactly."  
Dash unbuckled and rose from the pilot seat.  
"Ah c'mon, it's a nice variation from the swamp hole we call home now."

Nomi poke her tongue out at Dash, when she abandoned her seat. Together they walked to the entry ramp. Dash pushed the button and the ramp lowered slowly and crunching. Yes, time had not failed to leave its mark on the freighter as on its owners as well. The ramp was hardly down, when the hot desert wind met them. Dash looked cheering at his wife.  
"Go ahead and don't forget the data store." Nomi pointed at a little purse, she was about to ease in her coverall's neckline. They looked around. Apparently they were landed in the middle of nowhere. But then they saw one kilometer away something that looked like a settlement.  
'Great,' Nomi thought, 'now we have a walk before us.'

Dash closed the freighter and activated the intruder alarm. If someone on this backwater planet should try to enter the Outrider he would get more than he has bargained for. Nomi cursed under her breath when she trudged through the desert sand. She hadn't anticipated to do it ever again. If it had been up to her, she could have forbear to doing this. But it was about doing an old friend a favor.

Finally they reached the little settlement. Other than on Nomi's home planet Tatooine, the hovels were built from scrap, which the dwellers had scavenged from the battlefield. Purposeful she went to a little hovel, where an old woman was sitting in front of. Those woman looked curious at them. As Nomi and Dash stood in front of her, she narrowed her eyes to a slit in order to see better and laughed.  
"We aren't often visited by foreigners."  
'No surprise, it's far worse here than Tatooine,' Nomi thought.  
She smiled friendly at the old woman. "We seek Lor San Tekka. Do you know where we can find him?"  
The old woman knitted her brow. "You said Lor San Tekka? Um, let me think."  
She hummed silently to herself and Nomi felt that Dash was on edge.  
"Or do you know somebody, who can help us in any way?"  
The old woman put her off. "Just a moment. The youth, always being in a hurry. You said Lor San Tekka?"  
"Yes, LOR SAN TEKKA." Dash bursted with anger. He had the feeling to stand already an eternity in front of the hovel in the sun. He bent over to Nomi and whispered: "It's like pissing in the wind, Darling. The old woman isn't in her right senses."  
Nomi was about to respond, when the old woman smiled and nodded. "Lor San Tekka, yes I know. You can find him 15 kilometers from here in the settlement Tuanul situated at the Kelvin Ravine."  
Dash mumbled: "Why didn't she tell us that in the first place?"  
Nomi smiled at the old woman. "Thank you, you've helped us a lot."  
The old woman smiled back and pointed at the lightsaber dangling from Nomi's belt.  
"I've last seen those weapon since eternities. And I've never thought that I'll see it again.  
May the Force be with you, my dear child."

While the old woman still marveled at the weapon, a young man stepped out of the hovel's shadow. "Who do you talk to, grandma?"  
The old woman pointed at Nomi radiant with happiness. "Look, Roan, a Jedi. And you thought I've told you myths. They are for real. It's all true, what I've told you."  
Roan couldn't suppress a smile over his excited grandmother. Those continued agitated: "They want to go to the settlement at the Kelvin Ravine."  
Her grandson looked quizzically at Nomi and Dash. "15 kilometers through the desert on foot? This should be difficult, even for a Jedi. I can borrow you my speeder. Come with me. It stands behind the hovel."  
Nomi and Dash followed him. Roan pointed at the speeder with proud, which wasn't one of the common standard models, but built up by scrap. The vehicle didn't look confidence-inspiring. Roan caressed the speeder lovingly, which looked if only its owner's willpower is holding it together. Roan must have seen Dash's expression and he was eager to affirm: "The speeder is trustworthy. Believe me, it may look like a piece of junk, but this deludes."  
Before Dash could respond Nomi had seized Roan's proffered hand. "We take the offer, Roan. Thank you. Come, Dash, we have no time to spare, if we want to arrive before the greatest heat."  
Despite his age Dash jumped in the speeder and patted the passenger seat inviting.  
"C'mon Darling, what are you waiting for?"  
When Nomi had settled in, her husband started the engine, which responded against expectation immediately. Roan touched Dash's shoulder. "And another thing, beware of the Sinking Fields at the north. The sand would engulf you there. May the Force be with you."  
"May the Force be with you too. We'll bring the speeder as soon as possible back."

Then they headed toward their destination, leaving a cloud of dust behind.


	4. Jakku

They've being on their way a while when Dash suddenly stopped. He jumped out of the speeder and grabbed his macrobinocular. He searched the horizon intently.  
"Are you sure that's the right direction? No settlement is visible, Nomi."  
His wife jumped out of the speeder too and relieved him of the macrobinocular. With a shrug she gave him the device back, when she was unable to find a settlement.  
"Tcha, seems we went astray, Dash."

In this moment they heard a strange noise behind them. They turned and hardly believed their eyes, when the speeder begun to sink in the sand. Nomi suddenly sensed the sand indulge under her feet.  
"Dash, run!"  
They run for their lives. Finally they reached the Sinking Fields' outskirts. Panting they sunk to the floor and looked back to the direction where a short while ago the speeder was.  
"Great! What shall we tell Roan when we come back without his beloved speeder?"  
Nomi wrinkled her brow, stood up and put out her hand. She closed her eyes. The speeder rose slowly from its sandy grave and floated against Nomi. Dash looked at his wife. He had often witnessed her using the Force, but never she had manipulated such large and heavy object.

Dash whistled acknowledging, when the speeder settled smoothly beside them. Nomi laughed and bowed like an actress on stage. Together they scooped the sand out of the speeder. Dash grinned at her.  
"So, we've saved Roan's rare jewel. But we still don't know where to go, Honey."  
When he was about to jump on the driver's seat again, Nomi stopped Dash.  
"Let me drive, Darling. I'm sure the Force will guide me."  
Dash settled back in the passenger seat and closed his eyes.  
"I'm excitedly. Wake me up, when we have arrived."  
Nomi started the engine, closed her eyes, abandoned herself to the Force and suddenly she saw the way clearly ahead of her. She smiled when she directed the speeder the way the Force had shown her.

It wasn't long before Nomi saw the Kelvin Ravine ahead. "Wake up, Dash! We've reached our destination."  
Her husband stretched, yawned and looked around. "Are you sure?"  
Nomi nodded her head.  
"Well, let's go."

Slowly the two approached the village at the end of the ravine. Different from Roan's village the hovels were made from wattle and daub. In the middle of the settlement was an evaporator cistern to ensure the villager's water supply. The few dwellers, being located at the village square were modesty attired. A woman with dark, curly hair, dressed in a blue garb went to the largest hovel and disappeared inside. Soon after a tall, white-haired bearded man came out of the hovel. With a friendly smile he approached Nomi and Dash. He was dressed in a simple linen tunic belted with a belt made from Gundark leather and despite the heat with a coat made from Fantabu wool.  
"Welcome in Tuanul. My name is Lor San Tekka."  
Delighted Nomi put out her hand. "You are the man we're looking for."  
Lor San Tekka laughed. "Well, I would say you've found me. Why are you here?"  
Dash shook his head. "Not here."

Lor San Tekka nodded. "Come in my hovel, we're undisturbed there."  
The hovel was sparsely furnished. Some small stools, a little table and situated in a corner a slender bed. "Are you thirsty?" Dash and Nomi nodded. Their host poured water in clay jars and handed them over.  
Furthermore he placed a small bowl filled with fruits at the table. After his guests had a sip he looked thoughtful at them. "Strangers are coming seldom to us. What brings you here?"

Nomi yanked the small, unremarkable purse out of her neckline and handed it Lor San Tekka over. "Luke Skywalker had asked us to bring it to you."  
By mention of Luke the old man's eyes lighted up. "Master Skywalker gave you this?" Carefully he opened the purse, retrieved the data store and swiveled it thoughtfully between his fingers. "Any idea what's in that?"  
Dash shook his head: "No. He gave me the data store asking me to bring it to you. You should keep it. Thereafter Luke had vanished, I don't know where to."

Their host nodded his head thoughtful.  
"The ways of the Force are recondite. Master Skywalker wouldn't have sent me the data store without reason." He pointed at Nomi's lightsaber. "As I see, you're a Jedi yourself. I'm glad to see that the order revives. So the Sith were unable to extinguish all of the Jedi."  
Nomi shook her head and couldn't dam up her tears. "The new Jedi Order is extinct. It was one of their own who became a traitor."  
Lor San Tekka looked at her disbelieving.  
"And the worse, it was Luke's nephew - BEN SOLO!" Nomi shouted out the name.  
Dash took her protective in his arms and addressed Lor San Tekka: "Our four children are missing since the attack at the academy. Nobody knows if they're alive or if they're among the many dead."

Lor San Tekka nodded his head understandingly, when he put the data store back in the small purse. Then he rose and went to a small box, put the purse in and locked it. "If you like, you can stay overnight."  
Dash put him off: "No, thank you, we must leave." He and Nomi, who still sobbed silently, rose and went to the exit.  
"Thank you for having us. May the Force be with you."

Lor San Tekka looked after them, before he went thoughtful back in his hovel. The report of the two stranger's had profoundly harassed him. He went to the small box, unlocked it and retrieved the purse containing the data store. Carefully he removed the data store and put it in a reader. His eyes lighted up, when he saw that it was a celestial map, showing the way to the very first Jedi Temple. But the map was incomplete.


	5. Jakku

Nomi and Dash headed back to Roan's settlement. This time they avoided the Sinking Fields and came safely back. Roan stepped out of his hovel, when he had heard his speeder's familiar noises. He grinned broadly when Nomi and Dash jumped out of the speeder. "As I've said, it's trustworthy. I can drive you to your spaceship, if you like."  
Nomi nodded. "We accept your offer with pleasure, Roan."

They heard blaster shots when they approached the Outrider. Roan's speeder hardly stopped when Dash already jumped out of the vehicle. He pulled his heavy blaster out of the holster and ran the few meters which separated him from his beloved freighter. In front of the Outrider lay two dead masked figures. Apparently has the automated laser canon at the freighter's underbelly done its work. The former mercenary couldn't suppress a satisfied grin. The two dead weren't the first ones, who experienced that this freighter was virtually impregnable. Behind a dune Dash identified five more figures. And those were very alive as the blaster fire proved which Dash scarcely missed.

He took shelter and shoot at the assailants. Dash looked shortly sideways when Nomi and Roan slumped close beside him in the sand. Roan came to the ready with a heavy blaster rifle and shoot. One of the assailants grasped at his chest and fell to the ground.  
"Splendid shot!" Dash shouted to Roan, while he was constantly shooting at the remaining four bandits. Nomi was about to activate her lightsaber, when Dash shot one of the assailants in his leg.  
He pulled back and hobbled away from the combat zone. The others recognized now that they were about to fight their last stand and turned tail.

Dash stood up and fired some blaster salvos after them to quicken their retreat. After that he pulled out a little remote and deactivated the intruder alarm. He hold his hand out to Roan. "Thank you for your help, young man."  
"You're welcome," retorted Roan. He went to the in front of the Outrider laying dead and turned them with the rifle barrel. Thereby the cloths slipped out of position revealing their faces.  
"Well I've guessed right. Those are Unkar Platt's men. He must have got wind, that you've landed here and wanted your ship for his collection."  
Nomi laughed. "He had chosen the wrong spacecraft."  
Roan turned to go. "I believe now you can leave Jakku without more troubles. It was a pleasure I was able to help a Jedi and her companion. May the Force be with you."  
Shortly after he jumped in his speeder and headed back to the settlement.

Meanwhile Dash had lowered the ramp. He opened his arms invitingly. "C'mon Sweetheart, let's go away." Nomi walked up the ramp and stopped suddenly. "Just a moment, there's something I've got to do." She turned and went to the bottom of the ramp. There she sat down and pulled off her boots and let the sand trickle out of them, which has gathered there. Satisfied she looked at the little pile of sand, don her boots and walked up the ramp again. Dash looked astonished at her, when she passed him. But she only threw him a roguish glance and said: "Well, I'm feeling much better now. You know, I hate sand."  
"And now, Darling, where we're going next?"  
"Hosnian Prime, we won't Major Starr let wait for us longer than necessary."

When Dash had the co-ordinates of Hosnian Prime punched in the nav computer and Jakku's ground control has given clearance for take-off, the Outrider ascended in the orbit. Shortly afterwards they made the jump to hyperspace.


	6. Hosnian Prime

So this is the new capitol planet Hosnian Prime. It reminded Nomi somehow of Coruscant. After the regular procedure with ground control Dash landed the Outrider smoothly in the assigned docking bay. "Now, we're here, Nomi." His wife sighed. "Ah c'mon, Darling, let's get this bullshit out of the way."

When the ramp lowered stood in front of it the young officer, whom Nomi knew already from the transmission. He saluted curtly, when he saw the arrivals."Commander Darklighter. Major Rendar." Dash hold his hand out. "Major Starr."  
Nomi regarded Major Starr and came to realize that she doesn't like him. Too young for his rank and he radiated a certain arrogance. The Jedi shivered. Upon other terms this guy would have been with the Empire and her enemy. She was pretty sure of this. Nevertheless she smiled at him, when she shook hands with him. "We're off duty for a long time, Major Starr. We can go without formal titles."  
Major Starr shook his head. "My records say otherwise, Commander Darklighter. You and Major Rendar never official took leave."  
'Great,' Nomi thought, 'is this arrogant whippersnapper about to accuse us of desertion?'  
She was still smiling when she retorted: "If the New Republic bureaucrats has made an effort, they would have found us straightforward. Master Skywalker for example knew that we're on Dagobah. Instead it was easier to forget about us and to accuse us of desertion now."

Starr shook his head. "Nobody accuses you of anything, Commander Darklighter. We've contacted you, because your space freighter is still in one of our hangars."  
Nomi uttered a sound of surprise. She had believed that the freighter was lost during the chaos of the Civil War and the times of upheaval afterwards.  
"The Aquarius? Where is she?"  
"Please contact ground control, Commander Darklighter." He saluted curtly again and turned to leave.

Nomi beamed with joy: "C'mon Dash, let's go to ground control."  
It took a while to find the control room, but then they were finally there. In the room were many human and non-human at the monitors overseeing Hosnian Prime's airspace. When they entered a light-blonde corpulently man, whom was apparently the born bureaucrat approached them. He hadn't introduced himself, but from the batch at his chest she learned that his name was Windmaker.

"Ah, I presume you're Commander Darklighter?" He called on Nomi. The Jedi nodded her head.  
"Major Starr already notified you to me. Please come with me." He sat down at a monitor and retrieved the data, while Nomi looked over his shoulder.  
"Here you are!" He turned and looked at Nomi. "Your freighter is here on Hosnian Prime. Docking bay GL1138." Nomi could hardly believe her luck. But her joy got a proper ticking-off, when Windmaker continued. "Upon payment of... just a moment," he peered at the monitor, "50,000 credits you can get your ship back now."  
Nomi's eyes widened. "What? Are you crazy? For this amount I could buy a new ship!"  
Windmaker shrugged. "I can reckon up the sum: Transport, storage, regular maintenance..."  
Nomi interrupted him: "But 50,000 credits, I don't have this sum." Dash had joined in and put his hand soothing on his wife's shoulder.  
"Let me see to that, Darling." He addressed Windmaker, whom in Dash's eyes lived up to his name. "Listen Windmaker, I think you don't know, to whom you're speaking. Commander Darklighter is a war heroine. She was a pilot during the attack on the second Death Star and had survived. My wife had flown a vast number of combat missions in behalf of the Alliance..."

Windmaker put him off. "What do you know, Major Rendar, how often I hear such stuff like yours, when it comes to pay the fees? All the sudden were all of them heroes, who have fought at the front line, because they look for benefits. But I've my instructions."  
Dash just boiled over. "Damn bureaucrat! If it wasn't for the brave men and women whom carried the can, even lost their lives in combat, you would do hard labor in the spice mines of Kessel for the Empire! Instructions...I spit on your instructions! If the Alliance had complied with the rules, there wouldn't be a New Republic! You can ask Senator Organa, she can confirm Commander Darklighter's merits!"  
Windmaker flinched at Dash's outburst, sweat trickled his forehead. He stammered: "The former senator Organa isn't at Hosnian Prime any longer. Nobody knows where she is, Major Rendar."

He punched data hasty in, till Nomi's file popped up at the monitor. Windmaker read the entries. When he had finished reading he turned around. He appeared nervous.  
"Er, Commander Darklighter, I very much apologize. I...I couldn't know... You can pick your freighter up of course. I've missed the notation that there are no fees to pay. This is the docking bay's access code." He handed Nomi a piece of flimsiplast with a column of figures on it over. Dash looked at him pleased. "There we go!"

Joyful Nomi set off together with Dash to docking bay GL1138. Finally she would see her Aquarius after a very long time. With a chuckle she remembered how she back then had tried to steal the YT-1300 space freighter on Tatooine. She was already in orbit, when Tarik, the freighter's owner, caught her. After she had helped him to escape an Imperial patrol, they became partner and prosperous smugglers.  
That was long ago. After Empire's end Tarik became ambassador of his home planet Sitti'cus'a IV.

Finally they've reached the docking bay. Nomi entered the access code. The door rose slowly and revealed the Aquarius. Nomi hurried to the ship. Dash smiled when he saw his wife caress gently the freighter's outer shell. He knew too well her feelings. It was the same for him with the Outrider. He pushed a button and the ramp lowered. It lowered smoothly, what was surprisingly for such old model. Windmaker hadn't overstated, when he had told about regular maintenance.

Nomi went to the cockpit and checked the instruments and their indexes. All was in good condition. She leaned relaxed backwards. It was as she was at home again. In this moment her comlink peeped.  
"Nomi?" It was her former co-pilot's Tarik voice. Despite the years past, she would have known this voice among thousand other voices. "You must hook up with me, come at 0600 to the embassy."  
Nomi asked no questions and answered brusquely: "I'll be there, Tarik."


	7. Hosnian Prime

It was just before 0600, when Nomi and Dash set out for Tarik. The embassy wasn't far away and they were on foot. "Any idea what Tarik could want from us, Nomi?" His wife inclined her head and looked at him. "I don't know Dash, but it seemed urgent."

They've finally reached the embassy. At the entrance a security droid stood guard. With a wiry voice he addressed the arrivals: "Please set your weapons aside."  
Dash opened his holster reluctantly, removed his blaster slowly and put it in the box situated next to the droid. "Thank you very much. I announce the ambassador your arrival." He walked over to a little wall mounted com unit and spoke. Meanwhile Dash nudged his wife and whispered: "What about your lightsaber?" Nomi whispered back: "It seems the weapon is so unusual that the droid didn't recognized it." 

Shortly afterwards the double door opposite the entrance area opened and Tarik appeared.  
The winged non-human run to meet them and hugged Nomi first and then Dash.  
"I'm pleased to see you. Come, we go in a room where we are undisturbed."  
The Jedi and her husband followed Tarik to a small room at the end of a small hallway. He waved inviting. "Come in, my friends. The room is bug-proofed. I've something to tell you, what no one else is supposed to hear." He laughed his chirping laugh that Nomi hadn't heard for ages. "Take a seat, please." He pointed invitingly at a living room suite, situated in a corner of the windowless room. His guests sat down, while the ambassador fetched some drinks from the bar. Dash has already made himself comfortable, while Nomi was about to sit down. Tarik looked with wide eyes at her. "How have you managed to bring the lightsaber round my security droid?"  
Nomi grinned. "You should reprogram him, Tarik. He was only aware of Dash's blaster."  
Tarik sighed. "It's not distrust, my friends, but since Tai-Lin Karr's murder I'm cautious. Especially because I am, like him, with the Populists. When I've learned that you are on Hosnian Prime, I took the opportunity to speak with you." He drew a deep breath. "The peace treaty with the remnants of the Empire isn't the flimsiplast worth it is written on, Nomi. There's something going on, the defamation of senator Organa, the assassination of Tai-Lin Karr through an Imperial sympathizer... it isn't by chance. And what is the senate doing? Nothing! Populists and Centrists tear each other apart. They won't see the danger of a revitalized Empire." He sighed. "What I tell you now must be strictly between us."

Nomi and Dash nodded. "Senator Organa is secretly building an organization called Resistance. She's seeing the danger and doesn't want the New Republic being defenseless. Me and a few other Populists support her as much as we can. Through neat manipulations we were able to equip the Resistance with weapons and fighters. Not these outdated X-wings we've flown during the Civil War, but the newest model, the Incom T-70 X-wing fighter. It's faster and heavily armed. It's much better than our jalopies, Nomi. The Resistance needs good pilots like you." He looked expectantly at them.

Dash shook his head. "No, Tarik. We're too old for fighting, my friend."  
Tarik smiled about Dash's remark. "You never get to old to battle for peace and justice. Even 80 standard years old Admiral Ackbar had joined the Resistance." He winked at Nomi. The Jedi shook her head like her husband. "We can't, Tarik. It isn't about the age, as Dash convince you to believe, there are personal reasons, my friend."  
Tarik knew too well that it wouldn't make sense to probe more. He knew his old friend's stubbornness, which she even as a Jedi hadn't lost. Therefore he waited patiently, if Nomi would tell him about those personal reasons. And it paid.  
"Our children are missing."

Tarik wrinkled his forehead: "But I thought the four are at Luke Skywalker's academy."  
Nomi shook her head. "The academy is gone. It was destroyed and there were many casualties. Luke had told us before he vanished." She felt what her old friend was about to say, when he looked doubtful at her. "I am sure that our children are still alive. I would have felt, when they were dead, Tarik."

The ambassador stood up. "I'm sorry that the Resistance has to do without your support. Maybe you have second thoughts, when you've found your children. I hope so. Nevertheless it was a pleasure to see you again. Is there anything else you need?" Nomi and Dash denied.  
They stood up too and Tarik accompanied them to the embassy's entry area. Nomi hugged her old friend and fellow soldier warmly. "May the Force be with you." Tarik returned the hug, while Dash retrieved his blaster from the box the security droid gave him.  
"May the Force be with you and your children."  
He tapped his forehead, when a thought had crossed his mind. "Why I'm thinking about this only now? You could ask Maz Kanata about your children. Maz Kanata's castle on Takodana is a rendezvous point for smugglers, bounty hunters and all kind of space travelers. Maybe someone of them has heard about your children. As Jedi they can't maintain a low profile in these times." Dash put out his hand. "Thanks for the advice."

Nomi and Dash left arm in arm the embassy. Tarik looked a long time after them. Then he turned around to the security droid. He would reprogram it, so it would be able to identify lightsabers as weapons. Sighing he began his work.

When they had arrived at the Outrider Dash went to the small bunk and slumped on the cot.  
Relaxed he leaned back. "So, we've all settled, Darling. We can finally search for our children." He wrinkled his forehead. "Do you think it's true that the Empire breaks the treaty and arms again?"  
Nomi, who was packing her overnighter, looked up from her task. "I don't know, but Leia always had a sure feeling for imminent danger. She won't have built the Resistance on a whim. It could be true after what Tarik told us about the goings-on in the senate. I've a bad feeling about this, Dash."  
Her husband nodded. "Wouldn't we searching for our children I would sooner rather than later join the Resistance." Nomi gave him a peck on the cheek. "Same here, Darling." Dash laughed and ruffled her slightly grayed copper red hair. "What did Tarik say? You never get to old to battle for peace and justice."  
Nomi caressed gently his face and traced the wrinkles there. Then she took her packed overnighter, in order to go to the Aquarius. "See you on Takodana, Darling. Fly casual."  
"You too."


	8. Takodana

Nomi was always surprised how much green there could be on some planets of the galaxy.  
Granted, Dagobah wasn't bare of vegetation, but all of the plants on this swamp planet were almost gray instead of green. Below there was a large see and on a peninsula she could already see Maz Kanata's castle. Nearby her Aquarius flew Dash with his Outrider. He was shortly after her dropped out of hyperspace. There was no ground control on Takodana. Arriving pilots were supposed to find themselves a landing pad near the castle. The Aquarius descended softly to the ground. A few meters away Dash landed his ship. Almost at the same time the ramps of both ships lowered and their pilots stepped out in Takodana's clear air. Nomi remembered faintly to have been here with Tarik one time. But this was a long time ago. Certainly Maz Kanata wouldn't remember her. Dash approached her laughing. "I've never thought that I'll come back at this place. And first and foremost seeing Maz Kanata again. At this place I was for days and nights on at the gaming tables and have made one or two credit." Nomi looked doubtful at him. "Ok, I admit that I've lost them mostly. C'mon, let's go to the castle."

They entered through an archway the castle's inner courtyard which was dominated from a great statue of Maz Kanata. From the individual buildings, situated around the inner courtyard wafted hundreds of flags in the wind. It was custom, Nomi remembered that everybody who was Maz' guest left his flag as a thank you. She swallowed hard seeing amongst all those flags the flag of the loathsome 501. Legion of the Empire. She contained herself fast, when she saw Dash's and Tarik's flag which hang peaceful abreast and wafted in the moderate breeze. Maz' castle was all along neutral ground. Everybody was welcome, who stands to the rules. The heavy entry door opened in front of them and they were met with hubbub, music and umpteen odors. Dash lead, while Nomi stopped at the door. She had sensed something but couldn't say for sure what it was. The Jedi concentrated and then she saw. On the ground where the castle was built, long ago a battle between Jedi and Sith had took place. She shivered, when she saw in her vision the many dead and wounded on both sides. Dash turned to her, when he realized that she didn't followed him. He saw that she had paled. "What's the matter, Darling?"  
Nomi shook her head. "Nothing." And she kept going into the with noise filled room.

They've just settled down at an empty table, when Maz Kanata noticed them. Swiftly she run up to them. "Dash Rendar! It's a long time ago since I saw you the last!" She wore glasses and were significant smaller than the statue in the inner courtyard. Her small eyes gleamed with joy. "And who's your companion?"  
"This is Nomi Darklighter, my wife."  
Maz adjusted her glasses so her eyes appeared larger and scrutinized Nomi. "She was already here. I never forget a face I've seen."  
Nomi nodded, but Maz stopped her with a wave of her hand and continued: "Those eyes... I knew your father."  
The Jedi shook her head. "Jula Darklighter was never on Takodana."  
"I'm talking about your true father, chit. Ulic Bel-Baal..."

In this moment there was in an area of the room an uproar to be heard. Tables were overturned and glasses get broken. Nomi and Dash looked curious in the direction and hardly believed their eyes. They knew the redhead, who was wrestling with a Bith, very well.  
It was their daughter Tasherit. Around the fighters were gathered many bystanders, whom whooped at the one or the other side. While Nomi wondered why she hadn't felt her daughter in the Force, Dash jumped up and pushed the bystanders aside. He socked the Bith on the jaw and he went down. After this he grabbed his daughter's arm and trailed her to the table.  
"Drop it, father! I don't need your help!" Dash flashed angrily at her. "My daughter doesn't bandy blows. Sit down!"

Tasherit sat reluctantly on a stool at the table and looked spiteful at her father. His facial expression softened, when he said: "We're glad that we've finally found you, kiddo." Nomi caressed her cheek. "Luke has told us what happened. Where are your brothers?"  
Tasherit flinched and tears were on the brink to fall. "Dash jr. is with me, Mama. Because of him I had this fight. I had to defend him." Dash interrupted her: "Dash jr. is a strong young man who's able to defend himself."  
Tasherit shook her head in despair. "No, father, he can't anymore..." Nomi looked behind herself, when she sensed a strong presence in the Force. Behind her stood Dash jr., who must had subdued his presence in the Force like his sister. By looking at him she saw why Tasherit were so desperate and why she had to defend her brother. Dash jr., her husband's favorite son, looked sick and miserable. Nomi looked horrified on the primitive prosthesis, which protruded from the torn open sleeve. Dash jr had lost his right arm.

Dash jr. looked at his mother, hauled a stool with his foot and slumped on it. It hurt Nomi to see him like this. He was always so strong and confident. She wanted to clasp his left hand, but he detracted it immediately. The Jedi saw that her husband struggled to retain his composure. When he had composed himself, he begun to speak: "How did this happen, Dash?" His oldest son looked at him. Rage sparkled in his eyes. "As usual happens, father. My sister was in danger and I wanted to help her. The opponent was faster and handier with his lightsaber than me and therefore I've lost my arm. There's nothing more to say."

Tasherit touched her brother's shoulder to calm him down. "You've saved my life, Dash. Without your intervening Ben would have killed me." Her brother shook her hand off and flashed at her. "Don't call him this. The man who did this to me has nothing in common with Ben, the Ben you've once called friend! He had betrayed us!" Nomi sensed her son's deep trauma and tried to send him calming thoughts through the Force. It seemed that Dash jr. calmed down and Nomi addressed Tasherit: "How did you escape? And where are Corran and Biggs?" Tasherit hesitated before she spoke. "I've feigned death, Mama. There was so much blood around me, I think that Kylo Ren presumed that I've bled to death. After he cut off Dash's arm he let up from him and vanished."

Nomi cringed by the name Kylo Ren. She knew the name from her dream. She regained her composure fast and continued listening to her daughter. "We were able to trudge to the academy's landing pad. There we found some undestroyed ships. With one of them we escaped." Tasherit sighed. "I don't know if Corran and Biggs have survived. I haven't seen them again since the attack."

Nomi noticed that Maz Kanata still stood beside the table. The Jedi expected, that she would address reproaches to them because of the broken furniture and glasses. But it was something else what she had to say. "I've felt it immediately, even if I'm no Jedi, Nomi. The Force is strong in you and your children. It's your father's heritage, which live on in you." She pointed at Dash jr. "Your son has a will of durasteel, otherwise he would be dead by now. See to it that he use this strength for the good, Nomi." Then she turned and went to another table in order to greet new guests.

Dash put some credits on the table and stood up. "I can't see why you haven't contacted us." Tasherit looked at her father. "We've feared that Kylo Ren could trace us." Dash put his arm around her. "We should fly to Hosnian Prime together." Tasherit nodded. Her father looked asking at his children. "C'mon the Outrider stands nearby."

His daughter shook her head and said not without pride: "We've our own ship, father, the Sagittarius. We meet on Hosnian Prime."  
She left the castle with her brother, while their parents looked after them.  
Dash cast a questioning glance at his wife. "Wherefrom they have a ship?" Nomi shrugged and hoped inwardly that Tasherit hasn't it stolen somewhere. "Let's start, Dash."

Shortly afterwards three spacecrafts ascended Takodana's orbit and jumped one after another in hyperspace.


	9. Hosnian Prime

Dash jr. was lying on the operating table and a 2-1B unit accommodated the new bionic prosthetic arm. The droid adjoined the arm stump's natural nerve tracts with the prosthesis' electronic ones. His patient was in a semi-conscious state because of a sedative. After he had finished his work he addressed Dash, who had waited patiently and had watched the surgery. "Your son will be able to use his arm again in approx. three standard days, Major Rendar. He was lucky that his arm wasn't severed right at the shoulder." Dash sighed a breath of relief.  
"Will he be able to wield a lightsaber?" The droid seemed to mull over. "If all heals over - yes." It seemed that Dash jr. regains consciousness but he was scheduled for the bacta tank.  
2-1B injected a second shot of the sedative in the left arm. It would be better to hold the semi-conscious state up. Many patients, whether human or non-human, tend to panic when treated in a bacta tank. Shortly afterwards Dash jr. floated in the slightly rose shimmering, sticky bacta. At the begin he struggled, but then he went limp and gave himself up to the healing effect. 2-1B checked the read outs and turned satisfied to Dash. "The patient responds well to the bacta, Major Rendar."

After an hour in the bacta tank Dash jr. was, accompanied from his father, brought in a hospital room, where his mother and sister where already waiting for him. He was still slightly dizzy, but his vital spirits came back slowly. Cautiously he touched with his left hand his new arm, which felt oddly strange to him. Would he ever could use it? Above all things, would it ever be suitable to handle a weapon? Dash saw the doubt in his son's eyes and was able to understand what was going on in him. "You'll be your old self again, kid." His son shook his head. "It will never be as it used to be, father."  
Nomi caressed his face gently, like she did when he was a little child. "You're strong, Dash and 2-1B reassured us, that you didn't distinguish the difference after some time." Her son looked doubtful at her. "Trust the Force, Dash." Dash jr. casted down his eyes and whispered nearly inaudible: "Trust the Force... Why has the Force allowed, that Kylo Ren has betrayed us?" "Frankly, I am stuck for an answer, Dash."

Three standard days and after many bacta treatments Dash jr. could leave the hospital. He was happy about this, then he was sour on being idle. Pleased he looked at his new arm. The small line between his arm stump and the bionic prosthesis was because of the bacta barely visible. He don his coverall careful. It was a bit cumbersome, because the fingers of his right hand reacted delayed to the nerve impulses. But 2-1B had assured him, that this will lessen soon. He grabbed slowly his weapons belt and girded it. On the table in front of him lay his lightsaber, which his sister had picked up before their escape. When he fastened it at his belt, he wondered if he would be ever able to wield it properly. He sighed. What kind of Jedi would he be without his lightsaber? He felt boiling anger, but simultaneously he remembered what Master Skywalker has always said, when Ben Solo were throwing a tantrum: 'Anger leads to the dark side.'  
At the thought of Ben, who called himself Kylo Ren now, it grew even worse. Breathing hard he sat down on the bed. He had to calm down. 'Allow your emotions, but then let they flow like a river.'  
The young Jedi sunk slowly in a deep meditation. He breathed regular and his anger ebbed away.

In this moment entered his sister the room. "You look as you could take on a krayt dragon, dear brother." Dash jr. looked up and smiled at her, for the first time in a long time.  
"I think it'll take a while longer, kiddo. My hand doesn't obey me entirely." Tasherit stood in front of him akimbo. "Don't call me kiddo, Dash." Her brother grinned broadly over his sister's contrived disgust. She laughed and sat next to him on his bed. But then she grew serious. "Do you remember Tarik?" Her brother nodded. "Certainly. Tarik is one of our mother's old friends." "I've visited him yesterday. He told me about a group, built by senator Organa called 'Resistance'." She grew euphoric. "Dash, finally we can do something useful. They need good pilots like us. Tarik can make contact to the Resistance. C'mon, brother." Dash shook his head. "And what about our dealings?" "They aren't important. We could like our parents in those days fight for freedom and justice, Dash." Her brother wasn't still entirely convinced. "Resistance... resistance against what?" "Against the First Order. Senator Organa and Tarik feel confident that this successor of the Empire could pose a grave danger to the New Republic." Dash shook his head again. "How can I be useful for the Resistance with this arm?" Tasherit stroke the prosthesis, which was oddly cool, carefully with her index finger.  
"You won't notice that it is a prosthesis soon. Please, let's join the Resistance." Her brother stood up. "Ok, we'll see, if they have need of us."

A few standard hours later get Nomi and Dash an unannounced visit from Tarik. It was obviously that he was pleased to see the Aquarius. He settled down at the Dejarik table situated in the freighter's mid section. In remembrance of old times with the Alliance he brought a bottle Jet sprit along. A beverage only to savor with caution, but very popular among the X-wing pilots of Rogue Squadron during the Civil War. After he had poured an adequate quantity in his friend's glasses and for himself, he leaned relaxed back. Slowly he moved the drink in his glass, before he took a swig. The Jet sprit burned like fire in his throat and he coughed. Dash couldn't suppress a grin and downed the drink with one gulp keeping a straight face. Nomi smiled at both, but then she stopped smiling. "You aren't here because of old times, Tarik." Her old friend nodded. "Your children asked me to go to you when they left Hosnian Prime. They want to join the Resistance and feared that you disapprove."  
Dash shook his head. "Our children are grown up and can take their own decisions, Tarik. But it would have been nice if they had said goodbye."  
Nomi remembered when she had left Tatooine long ago with no goodbye to her parents. She was unable to be annoyed about Tarik or her children. Tarik was relieved, that his friends didn't blame him due to the fact that he had enlisted Tasherit and Dash jr. for the Resistance.  
The Jedi smiled at her old brother in arms. "The Resistance can consider itself fortunate to get such good pilots with the Force as an ally."  
Tarik looked in her eyes. "I still hope that you'll join the Resistance too. " Nomi stood up and winked at him. "The ways of the Force are inscrutable, Tarik." The ambassador stood up too and took his leave.

When he left the hangar and felt Hosnian Prime's cool evening air he swayed slightly.  
In this moment he realized that it would be better to keep his hands off Jet sprit. Hopefully he would be sober soon, since he would set out to a mission on Corellia tomorrow.


	10. Hosnian Prime

After Tarik had left them, Nomi and Dash sat again at the Dejarik table.  
The Jedi sipped from the Jet sprit and looked over the rim of the glass smiling at her husband, who had furrowed his brow.

"What are you thinking about, Darling?" Instead of an answer he poured another drink in and downed it with one gulp. He had a higher tolerance to this stuff than her. He remembered very well how sick she was when she drank too much during a Rogue Squadron festivity.  
"Probably I'm ponder about the same like you, when we've spoken with Tarik. If we should join the Resistance."  
Nomi nodded her head. "I think they are in need of seasoned pilots, Dash. Or do you think that we're growing too old for such stuff?"  
The former mercenary laughed. "We don't have to fly in combat, but we could be instructors."  
Nomi cut in: "You can't be serious! I can't imagine you in the Resistance headquarters observing simulator training, when others are risking their lives in combat."  
Dash grinned broadly. "You know me very well or have your Jedi skills told you this?"  
Nomi wagged her head. "This has nothing to do with my Jedi skills. But something tells me that we'll find Corran and Biggs with the Resistance too. Let's meet Tarik tomorrow."

In the morning they set off to the embassy. The security droid at the entrance approached them. "Good morning, Commander Darklighter, Major Rendar. Please set your weapons aside." He pointed at Nomi's lightsaber. "This weapon as well, Commander Darklighter."  
Her old friend had the droid indeed reprogrammed. The Jedi loosened the lightsaber from her belt and put it to Dash's blaster in the box.  
"I'll announce you to the ambassador."  
"This isn't necessary," said Tarik, who came in this moment with a bag in his hand out of the door. He put the bag down in order to hug his friends. Thereby he was all smiles.  
"Never thought I see you again this fast. Are you here because of what we talked about yesterday?" Dash nodded. "It is convenient," responded Tarik. "I'm on my way to Corellia to meet someone. He can bring you where you're needed. I would suggest we meet in Coronet City. Do you know the Horn's Inn? It belongs to Corran Horn's son."  
Dash winced. Of all things his home planet Corellia. Until now there was always trouble when Dash was there. It seemed his home planet doesn't like him. He shook his head. "Horn's Inn? Never heard of. Corran Horn's son? I thought the whole Horn family is with CorSec. Doesn't matter we'll find it."  
Dash Rendar grabbed his blaster and holstered it. Then he handed his wife the lightsaber.  
"All right, Tarik we meet on Corellia. But beforehand we must bring the Aquarius back to Dagobah."  
The ambassador wrinkled his forehead. "It would take too long. It's dangerous for my contact to stay for a long time at one place. First Order spies are everywhere. I let someone take the Aquarius to the embassy."  
Nomi nodded, even though she doesn't liked to be parted from her beloved ship again.  
Tarik resumed his bag and turned to the small door leading to the embassy's landing platform. Before he stepped outside he looked back. "May the Force be with you."  
Nomi responded: "With you too, Tarik and fly careful."  
Tarik laughed his chirping laugh. "You know me."  
Nomi laughed too. "Therefore I'm telling you this."

Then the door closed behind Tarik and his friends left the embassy heading to the Outrider's docking bay.


	11. Corellia

After a calm flight through hyperspace, the Outrider fell back in real space near Corellia. Dash yawned. "I don't know, space travelling is somehow boring today. No Interdictor Cruiser pulling you suddenly out of hyperspace, no TIEs trying to vape you..."  
Nomi interrupted him. "It could be again soon if this becomes true, what Leia and Tarik are fearing, Dash. We should enjoy peace and quiet as long as they last."  
Dash casted a glance at his wife. "When we're with the Resistance the calm days will be over soon, Darling."  
Nomi nodded. "You could be right."

Dash steered the Outrider in Coronet City's direction after ground control has granted landing permission. He landed the ship smoothly in the docking bay. After the common safety precautions they left the docking bay and headed to Treasure Ship Row.  
The large, open-air shopping mall teemed as ever from passers-by from all over the galaxy.  
Dash grinned at his wife. "And now we've only to find Horn's Inn."  
"Let me see to that, Dash." She approached the next pedestrian, a Bothan, who crossed their path and asked for the way. "We're in luck, Darling, the Horn's Inn is approx. 500 meters away from here."  
"Go ahead! I think Tarik is already waiting for us."

After a few standard minutes they've reached their destination. The bar had the common hodgepodge of human and non-human guests. But on the contrary to other bars in the galaxy it was astonishing clean. Behind the bar stood a young man, whom Nomi saw it in that he was a Horn family offspring. So this is Corran Horn's son. He seemed a few years younger than their own children. Apparently the former Rogue Squadron pilot had found a wife after the Civil War. Nomi was delighted for him.

Dash nudged her and jolted her out of her daydreams. He had detected Tarik sitting in a barely visible booth. Before approaching him, Dash ordered two glasses of Corellian brandy. With the glasses in his hand he headed together with his wife for the booth. Coming nearer they noticed that Tarik wasn't alone. Next to him sat a handsome, sharp-featured man with dark-brown wavy hair, who wore a tan leather jacket. Nomi estimated the man a little bit older than her sons. At least he wasn't a Victory child. She was dead certain. The Jedi scrutinized him. Is he Tarik's liaison to the Resistance?

They sat down and Tarik's companion put out his hand. "Poe Dameron. And you are?"  
"Nomi Darklighter." Dameron looked bright-eyed at her when he heard the name. "By any chance the famous Nomi Darklighter? You were with Rogue Squadron under Wedge Antilles' command. And you were one of the pilots who've attacked the second Death Star. My mother Shara had told me about the old times with the Alliance. She was an A-wing pilot and had known your cousin Biggs who was killed in action during the Battle of Yavin. My father Kes was with the ground troopers during the Battle of Endor. Wait a minute, when you are Nomi Darklighter then you are Dash Rendar."  
Dash nodded acknowledging.

Dameron whistled noiseless and raked his fingers through his hair. "I can't believe it, I'm about to recruit two living legends."  
Tarik looked anxiously around and hissed: "Damn, Dameron, be less noisy."  
Poe looked guilty and softened his voice. "Oh, it comes just in my mind that we've already recruited two Rendar."  
Nomi and Dash listened attentively. Dameron hadn't noticed their intentness and deliberated. "What were their names? Biggs and Corran Rendar. They are twins."  
Dash grinned. "No, they are triplets. And they have a younger sister. Dash jr. and Tasherit were recruited by our friend Tarik and they should arrive soon at their destination."  
Dameron stared at him. "A whole family? You could nearly build your own squadron. "  
He took a swig from his glass filled with Corellian ale. Then he bent forward and whispered: "Welcome to the Resistance."

He stood up. "I have to leave now." He shook Nomi's hand and thrust a small piece of flimsiplast in it. Then he bent slightly over, as if to kiss her goodbye and whispered in her ear: "I send you the jump co-ordinates for your navcomputer. Here is the decryption code. Be careful, the First Order isn't to be underestimated." Then he turned and headed to the exit.  
Nomi and Dash looked after him.

Dash turned to Tarik. "It appears to me that the kid is a little bit reckless. I hope it won't get him in trouble someday." Tarik retorted with hushed voice. "The kid is the best pilot of the Resistance. He can fly anything, Dash."  
The Corellian grinned broadly. "I'd like to see this, Tarik." He downed the glass in one gulp, stood up and threw a few credits on the table. "C'mon, Nomi, let's get out of here. The sooner we leave Corellia the better."  
His wife and Tarik stood up too. The ambassador held his old fellow soldiers tight. "Be careful, my friends and may the Force be with you."

When the Jedi and her husband entered the Outrider a small light flashed at the console.  
Poe Dameron had already sent the encrypted jump co-ordinates. Nomi gave her husband  
the flimsiplast with the decryption code and grinned at the same time. "It seems, Dameron can't wait until we arrive."  
It wasn't long before Dash had the co-ordinates decrypted and stored in the navcomputer. He turned to his wife, who had already settled in the co-pilot seat as usual.  
"The co-ordinates lead us near Hosnian Prime, Malastare and Sullust. Always so far apart from the planet, that we're avoiding the gravitation field and can jump back in hyperspace to the next co-ordinates. The Resistance headquarters are in the Ileenium System, to be exact on the planet D'Qar. Here goes, Darling!"


	12. Hyperspace Jumps

Nomi remembered very well, that she long time ago, when she had joined together with Tarik the Alliance, was lead in a similar manner to their destination. It should shake pursuers off and prevent them from finding the bases. Yes, it was obvious that there were many former Alliance warriors in the Resistance high command. The Jedi smiled to herself. Who knows how many old fellow soldiers she would meet there. But most importantly was that she'll see her younger sons again. Despite she was sure that they weren't killed during the attack at the academy, was she relieved when Dameron gave her certainty.

A little light flashed at the console and a signal shrilled. "Attention, Nomi. We're dropping out of hyperspace."  
Dash pushed a lever forward in order to deactivate the hyper drive and the streaks of hyperspace became stars, when they entered real space again. In the distance they could see Hosnian Prime. Dash leaned back in his seat. "The first state of our journey was without any problems. The computer must calculate the next jump and then we're ready to go."  
Soon after the Outrider made the jump to hyperspace destination Malastare.

Nomi and Dash were playing a Dejarik match, when they heard again the signal from the  
YT-2400 freighter's cockpit. It was time to enter real space. Dash jumped up and hurried to the cockpit in order to deactivate the hyper drive. The stars changed from streaks to stars and away into the distance he could see Malastare and... What was this? Dash swore loud. "Damn! Nomi, you really must take a look at that!" His wife hurried in the cockpit and slumped in the co-pilot seat. She was shocked at what she saw. A few clicks away from them was an Imperial Star Destroyer floating in space swarmed by TIEs. The Jedi wrinkled her forehead. "I've a bad feeling about this, Dash." Her husband nodded. "Same here. Let's get out of here, before they notice us." But it was too late. Via com they heard a voice that seemed familiar to Nomi.  
"Here is the First Order Star Destroyer Crusher. Corellian freighter Outrider lay to and state cargo and destination."  
Dash hissed with clenched teeth: "You wish!" A little bit louder he said: "Nomi, you must man the laser cannon. They not think twice and send their TIEs if we not respond. It won't take long till the computer has calculated the next jump. I activate the shields."  
His wife looked at the double laser cannon's targeting computer, showing 6 enemy fighters bearing down the Outrider. The experienced fighter pilot couldn't suppress a grin. The First Order Imps would note soon, that the Outrider and her crew were not to be underestimated. The TIEs swarmed the freighter like malevolent piranha beetles hoping for easy prey.  
When they were in firing range they opened fire. The freighter shuddered under the laser fire.  
Dash shouted: "Sithspawn, Nomi what sort of TIEs are they? The shields are down to 70%! That's impossible!"  
Instead of an answer Nomi fired at a TIE which was in her line of fire. She was expecting the fighter to explode in a fireball, but nothing happened. The laser beams glanced off. That just can't be true.  
"Dash, they've deflector shields!" Dash shook his head while he constantly altered the course in order to avoid fire. "No TIE has shields!"  
"Apparently they have. Dash, how long till we can make the jump? If we stay any longer we get pulverized!"  
"I'm doing the best I can, Darling!"  
The Outrider took another hit. "Damn, the shields are down to 40%! We can't hold on any longer!"  
In this moment the signal sounded indicating that the jump calculation was finished. Dash pulled relieved the lever and the Outrider made the jump to hyperspace.

Dash breathed hard and mopped his brow. "That was a close call. Where did they get those TIEs? If the Empire have had such TIEs... I don't know if we have had any chance with our X-wings."  
His wife nodded. "Yes, those TIEs were a nasty surprise. Tell me, was the Imps' voice familiar to you?" Rendar wrinkled his forehead and paused to think, before he answered: "Could it been Major Starr?"  
Nomi nodded. "You guess that it was him, too. It didn't took him long to betray the New Republic. I fear that there are more to follow. Specially the Centrists seems vulnerable for the idea of reviving the Empire. Leia and Tarik are right the First Order is dangerous."  
The former mercenary nodded in approval. "Yes, especially when they summon up such technology. I wonder from where they get it."

After a standard week flashed the little light at the console again and the signal shrilled.  
"This must be Sullust now, Sweetheart. Shields up in case there's waiting such surprise like near Malastare. Fortunately the shield generator wasn't damaged. The shields must have full power now."  
Nomi activated the deflector shields and leaned back satisfied when the display showed 100%. You could still rely on the good old Outrider. Soon after they fell back in real space near Sullust. Both sighed a breath of relief, when they only saw stars and the planet Sullust in the cockpit window.

Nomi bend over to her husband and gave him a kiss. "Only one jump left, before we reach the Ileenium System, flying ace."  
Her husband cracked an uneasy smile. "It seems that Poe Dameron will be in competition with me."  
The Jedi laughed. "C'mon Dash, everything Dameron can do, you can do better. Aside from that you're years ahead in experience compared to this whippersnapper."  
Dash responded: "Are you aware that it is years ago since we were sitting in a fighter?"  
Nomi shrugged. "I've nothing unlearned. The computer had finished the calculations. Let's make the last jump, Darling."

Shortly afterwards the Outrider was back in hyperspace.


	13. D'Qar

When they fell back in real space after three standard weeks they saw finally their destination: D'Qar. On this Mid Rim planet was the Resistance headquarters. Nomi and Dash were relieved that it wasn't neither a desert planet nor an ice planet. Alongside them two X-wing appeared which in their design contrasted strongly from the old Incom T-65 models. That had to be the new T-70 models from which Tarik had spoken.

Suddenly the two X-wings waggled their wings like to greet them and then a familiar voice was to be heard over the Outrider's com unit. "Hello Outrider, welcome to the Resistance. I told you it wouldn't take long till our parents show up, Biggs. We accompany you to your assigned landing pad."  
The voice belonged to their youngest son, Corran, who was flying one of the two X-wings and his brother Biggs was apparently the second X-wing pilot. When they dipped in D'Qar's atmosphere they saw lush vegetation. Nomi remembered vaguely, that during the Civil War two Imperial defectors, Thane Kyrell and Kendy Idele who served in Corona Squadron, had discovered the planet. There was formerly a small Alliance outpost, which because of the end of war was never built out in a base. Someone at the Resistance must have remembered this and now the preserved buildings and bunkers were used as headquarters.

Dash flew the space freighter to the landing pad and land it with half of the repulsors. His two sons landed their X-wings next to it. Dash had barely cut the engines, when Nomi jumped out of her seat and hurried to the ramp. She was impatient for seeing Biggs and Corran. Her husband followed her slowly. Meanwhile the two X-wing pilots jumped out of their fighters and hurried for their part to the Outrider. Biggs arrived first at his parents. Nomi hugged her son, who smelled of lubricant like every pilot. Then she stroke gently the brown locks off his forehead and traced the scar with her finger which stretched out to the brow. He was like his brother ripped and took with it after his father, despite his hair color. In this regard the triplets came after their late grandfather Ulic Bel-Baal. Corran joined them and his mother hugged him as well. When she was about to ruffle his hair he ducked.  
"Please don't, Mama. I'm not a little child."  
Nomi laughed. "I see it, Corran. You grew up to mature, strong men. Where has the time gone?"  
Dash has joined them by now and hugged his sons too. It was obvious how proud he was of them.

"Why you haven't contacted us?", Nomi suddenly asked. "Can you imagine how worried we were, after Luke told us what happened at the academy? We've found your brother and your sister by pure chance at Maz Kanata on Takodana."  
Her sons looked guiltily to the ground, but then Corran looked defiantly up at his parents.  
"We thought it would be better to go missing. Since the massacre at the academy we fled from one end of the galaxy to the other. We were always forced to hide in the Force to not be found. You don't know what we've undergone."  
"But you've still both arms."  
The brothers hadn't noticed that during their conversation Dash jr. had approached them from behind.  
"Why haven't you told me that our parents are on the way to us?"  
Biggs pawed awkwardly the ground, while Corran concentrated at a point somewhere at the horizon. What need to be said? They've simply forgotten out of sheer joy to tell him.  
Dash jr. slapped Biggs with his left hand on the shoulder. "No problem, little one."  
Biggs muttered under his breath: "Don't call me always little one. Just because you were born a few standard minutes earlier than me."

Nomi contemplated her oldest son. He didn't looked so miserable like on Takodana. Since he had the new prosthetic arm, he seemed to recover. Dash jr. had noticed his mother's glances.  
"I've improved a lot, Mama. And I learn step by step to handle this thing. You can't imagine how many things I've broken the first time when I've grabbed them with my right hand."  
He couldn't suppress a grin. "Someday I've even pried a piece out of the meeting table, when I stood up and supported myself on it. But now I'm even able to handle my blaster rifle without breaking it."  
Nomi smiled. It seemed her eldest put up with his artificial limb.  
"Where's your sister?", asked Dash.  
"I think she's with Red Squadron on patrol.", answered Biggs. "We didn't serve in the same squadron. Tasherit wanted by all means to be part of the Reds, father."

At this point a lieutenant approached them. "Commander Darklighter, Major Rendar, please follow me. Commander Dameron had learned that you've just landed and is waiting for you in his quarters."  
Nomi and Dash took leave of their sons and followed the lieutenant.


	14. D'Qar

The lieutenant pointed at a little barrack. "Commander Dameron is in there and waiting for you." When Nomi and Dash entered the barrack Poe Dameron approached them with a smile.  
"Welcome at D'Qar, Commander Darklighter, Major Rendar. I hope you had a pleasant journey?" Nomi shook her head. "I wouldn't call it pleasant, Commander Dameron. We bumped in a First Order Star Destroyer at Malastare. We had our hands full with the TIEs when they've detected us. We've managed with pain and misery to defend us and to make the jump to hyperspace. Our shields wouldn't have withstand the fire any longer."  
Poe looked thoughtful at the Jedi. "At Malastare you said, Commander Darklighter? The First Order never ranged over New Republic territory. I must inform the general about this when she comes back. Please take a seat."  
He pointed at three folding chairs situated in the middle of the room, seated himself and stretched out his legs. In this moment a BB-8 unit rolled in. It headed for Dameron and bleeped a quick sound sequence. "Yes, BB-8 I haven't forgotten about this." Another bleep. "No, this time no concussion missiles. And now shove off, my friend." Dameron turned again to his guests. "Sorry for the interruption."

Nomi glanced around the room. It was quite untidy. On a cot lay Dameron's pilot's helmet, his gloves beside it a torn open rations pack and his blaster. His vest hung from a peg on the wall and the leather jacket he wore during their first encounter on Corellia lay simply on the ground. 

Dameron interrupted her observation, when he continued to speak: "Oh yeah, the First Order TIEs. I would have put you on your guard. But I couldn't know that you'll come upon them. These aren't the TIEs you shoot down by the dozen during the Civil War. Those fighters are more maneuverable, heavily armed and above all things they have shields. The First Order isn't wasting their human recourses like the Empire in your days, Commander Darklighter."  
Ouch, this hurt. Nomi felt all the sudden old as dirt. She was pretty sure that she and Dash were exactly this in the young, confident commander's eyes. "Therefore the General is delighted that we due to Ambassador Tarik and his men got some of the newest T-70 X-wings.  
So far we were able to equip two squadrons with it and I hope that there will be more to come.  
You'll see, Commander Darklighter, Major Rendar, those fighters have more firepower, they are faster and more maneuverable than the T-65 you've flown during the Civil War. Those fighters rival the First Order TIEs."

He listed excited the differences between the new X-wings and the old ones: "The four 5L5 fusial thrust engines and the accurate calibrated retro thrusters are crucial minimized and the laser cannons at the wing tips could be fired either in single, double or quadruple mode.  
Furthermore you have the option to shift the 8 proton torpedoes with concussion missiles or mag-pulse warheads. In short, the new ones are able to do much more damage to the enemy than the old ones." He leaned back and looked expectantly at the Jedi and her husband. "Do you have the courage to fly these fighters?"  
Dash nodded. "I can fly anything, Commander Dameron."  
Poe chuckled. "We'll see, Major Rendar, we'll see. And what about you, Commander Darklighter?" Nomi nodded too. "It would be a changeover but it's manageable."  
Dameron stood up. "That's good to hear. You will fly with your sons in Blue Squadron. Report to Jess Pava she'll show you your quarters."

As it turned out, Jess Pava was a young, attractive pilot of Blue Squadron. 'Damn, why are all of them so very young?', Nomi thought. She had expected to meet many comrades from the times of the Civil War at the Resistance. Those children were far too young to fight and to die. Then she remembered, that she wasn't older when she joined the Alliance and she smiled wistful. For her own children she had wished a better future in peace and freedom. And now they've decided to fight too so that a tyranny like the Empire never gain a foothold again on the galaxy.

After a few strides they've reached a little barrack, which was identically constructed like Poe Dameron's. Jess Pava opened the door. "Here you are, Commander Darklighter, Major Rendar. Usually all pilots are lodged in communal accommodations, except Commander Dameron. But the commander thought that you as a couple are entitled to claim a little bit privacy. I leave you now." With it she turned to go. "And another thing, it would be better you hit the pillow early. I'm sure the commander wants to make you familiar with the fighters tomorrow."

Nomi glanced around the barrack, which was sparsely furnished like Dameron's. Two cots, a small table, four folding chairs and a small locker, where two X-wing pilot gears hung. A door lead to a small, narrow refresher. The Jedi, who was used to far worse accommodations sat down on one of the cots, while her husband tried the larger coverall on. "Fits perfectly. Seemingly they've took measurements by one of our sons. I can't believe it, I'll fly an X-wing again." He launched himself full of verve on the second cot. His wife laughed. The chance to fly a fighter took years off him. He looked happy since not in a long time.


	15. D'Qar

The next morning it knocked at the door. Dash came just out of the refresher. He wrapped a towel around his hips and opened the door. In front of him stood his oldest son. "You should come to Commander Dameron. He wants that you train with the T-70." He spun on his heel and headed to the landing pad. Dash grunted: "The kid could have wished us a good morning, Nomi." His wife don already her coverall. "We should hurry, Dash. I don't believe that Dameron loves to wait."

A little later they were dressed and went with their helmets under their arms to the landing pad. There Poe was already waiting for them. He stood between two X-wings and looked expectant at Nomi and Dash. He skimmed almost gently over one of the X-wing's outer shell. "Let's see how you get by those cuties. Commander Darklighter, you're Blue 12. Major Rendar, you're Blue 11 and your wife's wingman. I'm Blue Leader. You will familiar yourselves with the fighters in atmosphere flight." Nomi whistled softly. An atmosphere flight with an X-wing isn't easy. There's many you have to take in account. A sudden downdraft and the fighter goes in a spin and is in danger of crashing. Dameron must be crazy. No X-wing pilot made such flight if it wasn't necessary.

Dameron climbed light-footed the ladder and jumped in his X-wing where BB-8 was already anchored in his astromech socket. Nomi approached her assigned X-wing and she was not believing her eyes when she saw the astromech droid. "Fuzzy?" A happy warbling was the R2 unit's answer. It was really her R2 unit, with which she was flown in so many combats during the Civil War.  
She climbed the ladder quickly and jumped in the cockpit. When she don her helmet and strapped in, she closed the canopy. Meanwhile Dash was good to go too. Through the integrated comm unit in her helmet she heard Dameron's voice. "Blue 11, Blue 12, Blue Leader here. Follow me in close formation." Slowly the three X-wing ascended in D'Qar's atmosphere.. Shortly after was Poe's voice again to be heard over the comm: "We've reached our level, Blues. Show me what you can do."

Nomi scanned the dashboard and she held the rudder steady in her hands. Fuzzy warbled a long tone sequence. The Jedi glimpsed at the monitor with the translation. "Yes, I'm glad about flying with you again, Fuzzy. Now, full throttle. Let's see how good this fighter is."  
A bit later Dash and Dameron heard Nomi's cry of joy over the comm: "Wow! This thing is really fast!", while she was flying just above the treetops.

Poe shook his head. He had never tried such maneuvers this woman was flying. And he loved it to fly in the atmosphere with its incalculability. He looked with blank astonishment. Then he saw that Dash Rendar was daredevil and skilled flying like his wife. He was impressed and eager to see what they would show him in D'Qar's orbit. Nomi and Dash heard his voice via comm. "I've seen enough. Let's go back to the landing pad."

The three X-wing landed smoothly side by side and shortly after all three pilots jumped out of them. Poe grinned, when he slapped Dash on the shoulder. "Damn, this I call flying. You and your wife are both one hell of a pilot." Dash grinned too. "If you like we can show you one or two tricks, Commander." Nomi put her arm around Dash's hips and looked satisfied at him, then she cast a glance at Dameron and said: "Those are a few good maneuvers. It was the only way to survive the war. We were forced to adapt constantly our flying style."  
"Well", Dameron responded, "tomorrow you'll show me your skills in orbit."

When Nomi and Dash were back in their quarters, the former mercenary sat down at the small table, while his wife doffed her pilot gear and put it in the locker.  
"Why didn't you tell Dameron, that you're sometimes using your Jedi skills when you're flying?" Nomi turned to him, while she don her old, shabby coverall.  
"I don't know. I think it isn't important, Darling."  
Dash grinned. "But you know that he can't pull off the Darklighter roll without those skills."  
His wife shrugged. "I won't show him the roll. It will be better Dameron and the other pilots doesn't know I'm a Jedi. I can train at the evening, when I'm safe from prying eyes. When I flew over the treetops I saw a good place."  
Dash nodded thoughtful. "As you may suppose. But I fear that you can't hide it for long.  
At the latest when General Organa comes back..." Nomi interrupted him. "Leia won't say anything when I ask her. And our children are shying away from using the Force after their experiences at the academy. They fear that Kylo Ren will trace them here and they'll endanger the Resistance. But I've somehow the feeling that Ren has other interests than finding the Resistance." Dash stared at her. "I don't know, Dash, but I've a feeling that... "


	16. D'Qar

At this morning it was Poe Dameron himself who knocked at the door of the barrack. Pleased he saw, that Nomi and Dash wore their pilot gear already. "Good morning, Commander Darklighter, Major Rendar. Today I want to test your abilities in D'Qar's orbit. You've certainly seen the asteroid belt when you've arrived. We'll fly into the belt and practice there."  
Nomi nodded. "Into the asteroid belt. As you wish, Commander."  
Poe had expected another response, than these. He didn't saw neither by Nomi nor her husband a trace of fear or doubt.  
"Then come to the landing pad. We've already clearance for takeoff."

Dameron turned and walked at a smart pace ahead. He couldn't wait to see, how the Galactic Civil War veterans would proof themselves in the asteroid belt.  
So far the Sullustan Nien Nunb was the only one who wasn't dead-white when coming back from this area.

After a short check-up ascended the three X-wings in D'Qar's atmosphere. Soon after they were in orbit and headed for the asteroid belt. Nomi heard Dameron's voice via comm: "Commander Darklighter, fly as fast as possible through the belt. I'm waiting here for you."  
The Jedi smiled. Dameron couldn't know that she was already flown through the Hoth asteroid belt and even minefields.  
"Ok, Fuzzy, let's show the young man what we're able to do."  
The astromech whistled happily, when the Jedi steered her X-wing into the asteroid belt.  
Big chunks and small chunks trundled slowly in her direction or drifted away. From experience Nomi knew that this movements weren't random but rather following a pattern. She had only to identify which it was. The slightest failure could end in disaster. Carefully she reached out with the Force. A moment after she saw the safe path and begun her flight through the belt.  
"Fuzzy, full energy on the shields!" Nomi downright danced around the trundling and drifting chunks with her fighter. In less than 10 standard minutes she had crossed the asteroid belt and re-emerged alongside Dameron's X-wing.  
"Mission accomplished, Commander", she reported to Poe. She could clearly see him shaking his head when she looked in his cockpit, while she heard his voice via comm: "I... I can't believe this."  
But he regained his composure fast.  
"Major Rendar, it's your turn."

Dash headed slowly for the asteroid belt and looked carefully at the drifting chunks. He was wise to the fact that his wife was so fast because she had used the Force. He hoped that Dameron wouldn't begin to wonder. The whole scenario reminded him of his flight through the shards of Prince Xizor's skyhook. It wasn't much different except there was no fire and that an X-wing is far more nimble than his Outrider.  
"Ok, R2-D4, full energy on the shields. Let's go!"  
With hazardous speed he flew through the boulders. Suddenly Nomi and Poe heard Dash's voice via comm: "Sithspawn! Where did you spring up from?"  
Shortly after they saw laser beams in the asteroid belt searching for their target and heard Dash's comment. "Here we go."  
Nomi breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed the former mercenary went into his stride. He flew like his wife sophisticated through the moving obstacles. A bit later floated Dash's X-wing beside the two others. Dameron looked at his chrono. "15 standard minutes, Major Rendar. And accurate shooting at this rate - I'm impressed."

At the same moment some X-wing dropped out of hyperspace. That must be Red Squadron which was also under Dameron's command. Nomi and Dash heard via comm a familiar voice.  
"Commander Dameron, here Red 1. Mission accomplished."  
Poe nodded and answered: "Well done, Reds. I'm proud of you. Red1, I've a special surprise for you. We meet at the landing pad."  
When the X-wings had landed, Tasherit Rendar jumped out of her fighter and hurried to Poe Dameron. "What sort of surprise is it, Commander?"  
Before Dameron could answer, the young pilot saw the surprise.  
"Mama? Papa? What are you doing here?"  
Nomi laughed. "It's no different than you and your brothers are doing. We're fighting the First Order."

The young Jedi hugged her parents lovingly, while Dameron slowly left them so as not to disturb the reunion. Tasherit casted a mischievous glance at her father. "I've never thought to see you here this fast." Dash laughed. "You know that your mother and me are full of surprises, don't you? We won't leave the glory to you alone." Tasherit laughed too. "I don't believe this, Papa. You were never thirsting for glory. But I must leave now, Commander Dameron is waiting for my mission report."  
She turned to leave, then she turned one more time and waved at their parents. "Maybe we see each other tomorrow, if there isn't a new mission for the Reds."  
Then she hurried at a brisk pace to Poe Dameron's quarters.

Dash looked after her and whispered in his wife's ear: "Our little girl is now an adult, brave woman, Nomi."


	17. D'Qar

At the evening went Nomi Darklighter to the little clearing, which she had discovered during the atmosphere flight with the X-wing. She had hidden her lightsaber in a small rucksack, which she carried on her back. Despite everything she won't neglect her Jedi training.

She unpacked her lightsaber when she had reached the clearing and lay it at her side on the ground. Then she settled down under a tree and began to meditate. Peace and quiet enclosed her, while she breathed regular, how Luke Skywalker had taught her once. She summoned her lightsaber with the Force, it flew in her hand and she activated it in a flowing movement.  
She looked satisfied at the green blade, standing out against the dark surroundings.  
Some time ago she had replaced the Corusca gem, which had produced a red blade, with a new crystal from Illum. With the new blade she honored her late father, whose lightsaber had the same blade color. The Corusca gem was back in its place in the ring Dash had bought on Corellia long time ago.

Nomi brandished her saber. Yes, it lay nicely in her hand as ever. The Jedi practiced deliberate the phases of lightsaber combat. Then she jumped up, somersaulted with her lightsaber in hand and landed a few meters apart safely on her feet. Pleased she went back to the place where she had left her rucksack. She opened it and unpacked a trainings remote which would punish every failure with a tiny laser beam. After she had adjusted the beam's intensity, the Jedi activated the remote, which now floated lurking in the air.  
Nomi closed her eyes and reached carefully out with the Force. At the same moment the remote attacked. It came from the left and shoot a tiny laser beam in the Jedi's direction. Nomi deflected the beam and instead in her thigh it went in a nearby tree. The remote attacked again and again, but the Jedi deflected with closed eyes every attempt. It was impossible to run through her defense. Finally the preprogrammed training sequence was over and the remote sunk to the ground. Nomi deactivated her lightsaber, resumed the remote and put both back in her rucksack. Sweat-soaked but pleased she settled down at tree to rest before she would make her way back.

Suddenly there was a crack to hear in the undergrowth and footfalls. Nomi startled and drew her blaster. Poe Dameron stood in front of the Jedi and stared at her, while Nomi put her blaster back in the holster.  
"What are you doing here, Commander Darklighter?"  
The Jedi asked herself if Dameron had sighted her lightsaber practices.  
"I wanted to be alone for a spell, Commander Dameron."  
He nodded. "I can understand it. Sometimes I need a little time for myself too." He turned to leave."I see you tomorrow, Commander Darklighter."  
Nomi breathed a sigh of relief. Apparently Dameron had overlooked her lightsaber practices. She grabbed her rucksack and went back to her barrack where Dash was already waiting for her.

When he saw how sweat-soaked she was he looked caring at her. "You should gear down at your age, Darling."  
Nomi poked her husband. "What do you mean with at my age."  
She undressed laughing and went to the refresher. "I've met Poe Dameron at the clearing."  
Dash wrinkled his forehead. "I hope he hadn't seen what you're doing there."  
Nomi shook her head, while she enjoyed the shower. "No, I don't think so. Otherwise he would mentioned it to me, Dash."  
The Jedi came back with a towel slung to her body and gave her husband a kiss.  
"Don't worry. I'm sure Dameron hadn't seen anything. Let's go to bed. Tomorrow the young commander will certainly test how good we two old fossils are at the laser cannons."


	18. D'Qar

When it knocked the next morning at the door, Nomi asked herself if nobody at the Resistance gives them credit for to be in time without help. Dash was already on his way to the landing pad and she was about to leave. Slightly annoyed, she stood up from the table, where still were the breakfast leftovers and opened the door.  
In front of her stood her youngest son Corran, who wore his long, curly hair in a loose queue.  
"May I come in, Mama?" Nomi nodded and Corran entered the small room. Purposeful he headed for the small table and sat down on one of the folding chairs. The Jedi sat likewise and looked expectantly at her son. "What's on your mind, my dear?"  
Her son looked sheepishly to the ground and deliberated how he could say what he has to say without hurting his mother. Then he burst out with it: "You've used the Force yesterday, Mama. I've felt it."  
Nomi shrugged. "I'm a Jedi, like you and your siblings. And Jedi are using the Force."  
Corran shook his head. "No, Mama, we must not use the Force. It's... it's dangerous. Kylo Ren could trace us and..."  
Nomi interrupted the young Jedi. "Is this the reason you are hiding your presence in the Force?" Her son nodded.  
"You won't be afraid of a single man."  
Corran sighed. "You haven't seen what we have seen, Mama. Biggs and me barely escaped. We're endangering the Resistance if we use the Force."  
His mother shook her head. "You've told me during one of your visits on Dagobah, that Ben Solo's weaker in the Force than you."

Suddenly her son jumped up and the folding-chair tumbled over. "He isn't Ben Solo any longer, who was a good friend of us. Ben Solo is dead - Kylo Ren had destroyed him. There is nothing good left in him. And he had grown stronger, Mama."  
He turned and went to the door. "I must go to Commander Dameron. We meet at the landing pad then."  
When he had left, he left a thoughtful Nomi behind. She looked at her chrono and saw that it was time to head for the landing pad too.

Dameron and her husband were already waiting for her. Corran was nowhere to be seen. It seemed to Nomi that he avoided to meet her after their conversation he had left abruptly. Nomi nodded shortly at Poe and her husband and went to her X-wing. She run the checkup, gloved up, don her helmet and strapped in.  
"C'mon, Fuzzy, let's go away as fast as possible." The droid whistled a question. Nomi looked at the display for the translation. "No, Fuzzy, all's well. I only want to go away, before I meet my son again." Another whistle. "This is something you can't understand. Fire up the converter." The astromech asked no further questions and did as Nomi ordered. Slowly the X-wing ascended in D'Qar's atmosphere.  
After a little while joined Dash's and Poe's fighters. The Jedi heard Dameron's voice via comm: "It seems you're in a hurry, Commander Darklighter. I've seen your husband's shooting already, today it's your turn. I've placed some targets last night, before I met you at the clearing. Oh, just one question. Have you seen the strange green glow yesterday, Commander Darklighter? It seemed to me that it was near the clearing."  
A cold shiver run down her spine. Had Dameron after all noticed, that she had practiced with her lightsaber? She hoped that her voice wouldn't quiver when she lied to him.  
"No, Commander, I've seen nothing."  
"Well, maybe I was mistaken. The target area is 20 clicks away. Follow me. Major Rendar, you follow me too, please."  
Soon after they had reached the exercise area. In front of them the targets were floating.  
Nomi heard Poe's voice again via comm: "As you see, Commander Darklighter, the targets are numbered. You must wipe out the targets in ascending order within two standard minutes."  
Nomi answered: "Copy, Commander!" Then she addressed her astromech droid: "Let's show the Commander that we aren't on the scrap heap. Off we go!"  
She headed for the first target, fired when it was in sight and destroyed it with the laser cannons she had set to quadruple mode. Two other targets which floated nearby were destroyed as well. If this continued, she would wipe out all targets in less than two standard minutes. She steered the fighter to the left and fired - strike. Three targets left. She set the laser cannons to double mode, flew a roll with the X-wing and fired during the roll at the targets. One target was left now, it was the smallest. Approx. less than two meters.  
Nomi bit at high concentration her lower lip in and watched the targeting computer carefully.  
She pushed the fire button when the targeting fields matched and the target burst in parts as the laser beams hit.  
The Jedi looked pleased at her chrono, she had really accomplished the task in less than two standard minutes. But with stationary targets it was easy. Nevertheless she flew a looping before she returned to the other two X-wings. Dash gave her a thumbs up, when she flew again at his side, while Dameron spoke with her via comm: "Well done, Commander Darklighter. Let's fly back."

Barely landed Nomi jumped out of her X-wing and run to meet her husband, who was likewise jumped out of his fighter. She laughed when he hugged her. Poe joined in and said: "This was an exceptional performance, Commander Darklighter."  
The Jedi disengaged from her husband's embrace and turned to Dameron. "It wasn't this difficult, Commander. Wiping out stationary targets which doesn't shoot back it's not that big a deal, to last against TIEs or capitol ships that's a whole new ball game. Are there no simulators at the Resistance base?"  
Dameron shook his head.  
"This is madness, Commander! How should the pilots survive in combat? Without simulator training you send those children to certain death!"  
Poe winced slightly because of Nomi's outburst, but picked up his courage fast.  
"I doubt that you despite your Civil War experiences can judge this, Commander Darklighter.  
Indeed General Organa tried hard to get simulators for some time. The Resistance has slim support from the New Republic. The most politicians believe that General Organa's apprehensions are pipe dreams. And as a side note, those who are flying and fighting with the Reds and Blues aren't children." Poe sighed. "I would prefer to train our pilots in simulators, believe me."  
Nomi felt that she was gone too far with her critique and backed down.  
"I beg your pardon, Commander, I never wanted to challenge your techniques."  
Dameron put her off. "It's ok, Commander Darklighter. Come tomorrow at 0900 to the galley. You'll meet there the other pilots."  
He turned to leave, but then he turned again. "And you're sure that you hadn't seen this green glowing last night? It must have been close to you."  
Nomi responded: "I'm sure, Commander."

When Poe was gone Dash Rendar wrapped his arms around Nomi. "How long will you lie to the kid, Nomi?"  
The Jedi looked up to her husband and answered: "As long as it is necessary, Dash. Let's go to our quarters."


	19. D'Qar

The next day at 0900 Nomi and Dash entered the galley to meet the pilots with whom they will fly in combat. Poe Dameron was right, this weren't children, but human and non-human, who knew for sure why they've joined the Resistance. Suddenly Nomi detected a familiar face.  
"Nien Nunb? What are you doing here?"  
The Sullustan laughed and answered in broken Basic: "Well, I think I do the same as you. You've already sent your children and they aren't bad pilots." He winked at Nomi. "C'mon, I'll introduce you to Snap Wexley. He's the best recon pilot the Resistance has." He drew Nomi and Dash to a pilot, who was about to go to a table with a glass in his hand.  
"Snap, may I introduce my friends? These are Nomi Darklighter and Dash Rendar."  
Wexley shook their hands. "Temmin Wexley. My father Brentin Lore Wexley was Y-wing pilot at the Battle of Endor. I've heard that you've flown in the assault too, Commander."  
Nomi nodded and said: "Let's drop the formalities. I'm Nomi for you, at last we're comrades."  
Wexley laughed. "Then you must call me Snap, Nomi. The same applies to you, Major Rendar."  
Dash responded: "Dash, it's just Dash, Snap."  
Wexley grinned broadly. "Can I invite you to a Corellian ale?"  
At this point Poe Dameron joined them. "Oh, you've already introduced each other, Commander Darklighter, Major Rendar."  
Wexley slapped him on the back. "Hey, Poe, since when are you so formal? Has the High Command cut off your wings or what's the matter with you?"  
Dameron shook his head. "You know that they let me get away with nearly everything, Snap. No, those two are counted among the heroes of the Alliance, from whom my parents told me a lot. I must treat them with respect."  
Dash laughed. "No offense meant, Commander, we won't be pedestalled."  
"If so, Dash, we should drink a toast to our comradeship. The drinks are on me."

Shortly afterwards they sat together at a table and drunk Corellian Ale, while Nomi and Dash told them about their combat missions during the Galactic Civil War. In the course of this the Jedi avoided to mention that she was over some missions only with the Force.  
Little by little the table grew, until nearly all pilots of the two squadrons either standing or sitting were assembled around the table. They all wanted to hear what those Civil War veterans have to tell. Dash reported just about the evacuation of the base on Hoth, when Dash Jr. approached the table. He bend down to his mother and whispered something in her ear.  
Nomi stood up and followed her son up to the door.

"What is it, Junior?"  
Dash Jr. flinched shortly, but he stopped himself to pass a remark, that he doesn't want to be called Junior. His mother and his father were the only ones where he tolerated this.  
"I want to practice with the lightsaber, Mama." He pointed at his bionic arm. "I don't know if I can still wield a Jedi's weapon since I have this. And I'm afraid to use the Force. Help me, Mama." He was tearful when he looked pleading at his mother.  
"I will help you, Dash. Come tomorrow at the evening in our quarters and bring your lightsaber with you."


	20. D'Qar

When Dash Jr. one day later entered his parent's barrack at the evening, was Nomi already waiting for him. Dash and Nien Nunb were gone to the galley in order to play Sabacc and it would be late when Dash would come back.

The Jedi felt how nervous her son was, when he stood in front of her and he fished the lightsaber out of his satchel, which hung from his left shoulder. When he was about to activate it she hold up her hand to stop him.  
"Not here, Junior. I know a better place."

She grabbed her rucksack and lead the way till they've reached the clearing. Nomi was aware of the risk, but she saw no alternative. It was her duty to help her son to lose his fear and regain confidence in his abilities as a Jedi. The Jedi put her rucksack near a tree and sat down at the cool ground.  
"Sit down, Dash. You're too nervous to begin your practice."  
Her son settled down opposite of her, put his lightsaber out of the satchel, lay it right down beside him and closed his eyes. His ripped chest lifted and lowered, when he used the breathing technique, which Luke Skywalker had taught him to find his inner peace..  
Nomi felt, that her son slowly calmed down and was ready to practice. His eyes were still closed.

The Jedi reached into her rucksack and fetched the trainings remote, keeping her eyes glued to her son. She programmed quickly the beam's intensity and the practice duration. Then she threw the remote in the air, which immediately made for Dash Jr. and fired.  
At the same moment the young Jedi grabbed his lightsaber, activated it in a flowing movement and jumped up. He still had his eyes tightly closed, when he parried the remote's laser beam.

His mother smiled pleased, when she saw that his bionic arm reacts flawless.  
Dash Jr. breathed evenly and calm, while he was waiting for the next attack. And it came quickly. The remote circled the Jedi, whose ice blue lightsaber blade casted a bright glow on the clearing, then it fired a beam at his left shoulder. Nomi's son didn't hesitate, turned and deflected the beam. The Jedi felt clearly the harmony between her son and his lightsaber in the Force. Again and again the remote tried to break his defense, but it was fruitless. The young Jedi deflected every attack. Finally the programmed practice duration was over and the remote sunk near Nomi to the ground.  
Dash Jr. opened his eyes, deactivated his lightsaber and wiped the sweat from his forehead.  
Breathing hard he settled beside his mother on the ground. She stroked smiling through his sweaty curls and he let it happen without contradiction.  
"You see, you can still do it. I'm proud of you, that you've overcome your fear. You're a Jedi and you'll remain a Jedi as long as you live, Dash. To be able to use the Force is a present. Always remember."

Dash Jr. leaned his head against her shoulder and stroked gently her hands.  
"I've felt the Force, Mama. It was as before, when I had two normal arms. Before Kylo Ren did this to me."  
This time he could think of it without being angry. He only felt inner peace which the Force gave him. For the first time after a long time he was happy again.


	21. Rakata Prime

Two standard days later came Snap Wexley to Nomi and asked her, if she could support him on a recon mission.  
"One of our contacts has reported unusual activities. I guess, that the First Order, contrary to the Galactic Agreement, is concentrating troops at Rakata Prime. When I'm collecting the data I need someone who covers my back. For this I need an experienced pilot, who has already carried out such missions. And I thought of you, Nomi."

The Jedi agreed, and now the two X-wings floated at a safe distance, on the shadow side of the planet, watching the orbit. Wexley checked repeatedly his sensors.  
"Hm, everything's quiet. Maybe a false alarm," Nomi heard him saying over comm. "We're wasting our time, Nomi. Let's fly ho..."

Even without sensors Nomi saw why Snap had stopped in the middle of the sentence. A few clicks away dropped a First Order Star Destroyer out of hyperspace.  
Wexley swore. "Damn, when they detect us we're done. Nomi, prepare for combat. I must collect as many data as possible. Perhaps the New Republic will finally believe that the First Order is dangerous."  
The Jedi activated the deflector shields and waited.  
"Only a few minutes, then I have the data."  
Suddenly, on the flank of the Star Destroyer, Nomi saw tiny, moving points.  
"Snap, they send TIEs! Fuzzy, full power on the shields. We have visitors!"  
Wexley bit his lips. This wasn't the recon mission he had expected. He only hoped that those data would wake the New Republic from their apathy and self-satisfaction.  
But first they had to escape.

The first TIE came in firing range and was about to fire on Snap's X-wing. Nomi yanked her X-wing around and fired on the attacker. Green laser beams hit the enemy fighter and tore the right wing apart. The TIE tumbled into the depth of space.  
"Hurry, Snap, I can't hold up them for long!"  
"Nomi, TIE at 3-7-5."  
"I see him!"  
At the same moment she dove under the attacker and emerged behind him. She fired and the TIE exploded in a fireball. The Jedi saw that the Star Destroyer altered its course in their direction.  
"Damn, they're trying to bring us in tractor beam range!"  
Relieved she heard Snap's voice: "Ok, Nomi, let's go as fast as possible! I've got what we need!"

At the very moment his fighter was hit. The laser beams licked over the X-Wing's outer shell, but the shields held. The scout looked worried at the display. Another hit and he would be dead. He felt sweat trickling his forehead. "I enter the jump coordinates. Keep these fighters from our necks until we can make the jump!"  
"Fuzzy, jump coordinates, fast!"  
The astromech droid chirped a quick tone sequence.  
"Yes, now!"  
At the same time, she fired on the next TIE, which had targeted her. But he dodged and emerged behind her. Nomi let her fighter dance, but the TIE pilot kept pace with every movement.  
"Snap, I can't shake him!"  
"Don't worry, Nomi, I get him soon."  
Suddenly blazing light lit up her cockpit and she heard Wexley's triumph cry.  
"That's it, Nomi. Let's get out of here before they send more TIEs."

In unison, the two X-wings jumped into hyperspace to bring the collected data to the Resistance headquarters.


	22. D'Qar

After they've safety landed on D'Qar, the two pilots jumped out of their fighters. Inspecting, they went around their machines to look at the damage. Despite the shields the TIEs were able to score some hits. A shiver ran down Snap's spine when he saw that they've barely missed the hyper drive motivator. Nomi joined him when she had finished her inspection.  
"This was tight, Snap."  
He nodded. "Thank you for saving my ass."  
Nomi shook her head. "I've to thank you, without you I would be space dust."  
Wexley poked slightly her arm. "We're even. I only hope that the data were worth the effort."  
"Certainly. You should bring them directly to Poe."  
Snap looked at her questioningly. "You don't come?"  
The Jedi shook her head. "No, it was your mission and I was only your backup. I've to get out of the coverall, somehow I think that I smell like a rotten blum fruit."  
Temmin laughed, then went quickly to Poe Dameron's barrack followed by his astromech droid, to hand over the collected data.

A bit later it knocked at the door and a furious Temmin Wexley stood in front of her.  
"Those damn Nerf herders!"  
At Wexley's remark, Dash, who was just polishing his blaster, looked up from work.  
Nomi made room for Snap so he could enter. He went to the small table and sat down on one of the folding chairs. Nomi touched reassuring his arm when she had also sat down.  
"What happened, Snap?"  
He looked at her and answered: "We have been almost fried for nothing, Nomi. This happened. Poe has the data transmitted to Hosnian Prime. And anyone who is not blind must see what they mean. But no, some sort of bureaucrat has nothing to say except that these data are not relevant and have no meaning. What must happen, that the New Republic is finally waking up?"  
Nomi shrugged. "I don't know, Snap."  
"But I know it, Nomi. They don't wake up until they feel the Imperial boots again. But then it's damn too late."  
Dash intervened. "So no official support for the Resistance by the New Republic?"  
Snap nodded. "Exactly, Dash."  
Rendar grinned. "So almost like in the old days with the Alliance. We have nothing and we try to make the best of it. I understand your disappointment, but believe me, even the most laziest bureaucrat on Hosnian Prime will someday recognize the danger."

At that moment, Biggs popped his head through the door and shouted into the room, "At 2000 briefing in the command center!" Then he had disappeared.  
Snap grinned. "I thought that the High Command won't accept that the First Order is there."


	23. D'Qar

At 2000 all pilots of Blue and Red Squadron had gathered in the command center.  
The room was filled with expectant voices, while the data collected by Snap ran across the monitors.  
When Admiral Ackbar entered the room, the voices fell silent. For his more than 80 standard years the Mon Calamari looked fit and healthy. He went to the holoprojector table in the middle of the room. There he pressed a switch and a three-dimensional image of Rakata Prime's orbit hovered over the table with the signatures of enemy ships.  
The Admiral cleared his throat and began to speak: "Captain Wexley's last recon mission provided us with crucial data. As you see, the First Order had invaded New Republic regions again. We have informed the New Republic about this incident, but they have ignored it. But we will respond to this provocation. Our contact on Rakata Prime confirmed that the Star Destroyer Crusher is still in orbit." A murmur went through the assembled pilots. The Admiral silenced them with a movement of his hand.  
"We will make clear to the First Order that they can't defy the Galactic Agreement unpunished. Man your fighters and may the Force be with you!"  
Poe took the floor: "You've heard the Admiral. Let's show them that the Resistance take no nonsense. We meet at the landing pad."

At the landing pad the pilots crowded round their commander, to receive last orders. Dameron leaned casual at his X-wing where his astromech BB-8 was already anchored in his socket.  
"The standard armament suffices for this mission to scare the First Order."  
A young pilot wrinkled his forehead and countered: "24 fighters against a Star Destroyer? That's impossible, Poe."  
Dameron smiled. "It isn't impossible, Sev. There were only 30 fighters which attacked the first Death Star." With good reason he had withheld the information that of the 30 pilots only few survived. Nomi let her gaze roam over the assembled pilots. Her three sons stood together and spoke quiet with each other. Biggs and Corran would fight together, while Dash Jr. would be Jess Pava's wing man. The triplet's excitement before the battle was almost palpable.  
Whereas Tasherit stood totally calm alongside a young, handsome pilot with black hair and blue eyes, who was apparently her wing man.  
The Jedi was deep in thought that she startled, when Dash approached her and touched her arm.  
"What are you looking so thoughtful, Darling? It isn't the first time we're flying in combat. And I'm your wing man, Nomi. What could go wrong?"  
He gave her a kiss, then he went to his X-wing. "We meet in Rakata Prime's orbit!"

Nomi hurried to her fighter, where Fuzzy, her faithful astromech droid was waiting for her.  
She climbed up the ladder, slumped in her seat, don her helmet, strapped in and closed the canopy. "Fuzzy, check the engine and the armament! I don't want a nasty surprise." The droid warbled an answer. The Jedi nodded. "Good, Fuzzy, let's go."

Gradually, the X-wings ascended into D'Qar's atmosphere to assemble soon after in orbit at the jump point. Nomi heard Dameron's order via comm: "Blues, Reds, ready for the jump to hyperspace. On my command: 3-2-1-Go!"  
The attack at the First Order Star Destroyer Crusher had begun.


	24. Rakata Prime

When the Resistance X-wings near Rakata Prime dropped back in real space, their pilots saw a few clicks away the Crusher. She was still there as their contact had reported. Everything was still quiet and peaceful, because the sensors of the capitol ship hadn't detected the fighters yet. But all pilots knew all too well, that it would change fast the farther they approached.

Via comm came Poe's command: "S-foils in attack position. Stay sharp and switch your comms on combat frequency!"  
One by one the pilots reported in. Nomi heard Poe's voice again: "We're soon in sensor range. Attacking formation! Red 11 close the lines. Sev, you're too far away!"  
"Copy, Blue Leader!"  
Nomi saw, that Red 11's fighter accelerated to keep path to the other Reds. They were now in sensor range of the Star Destroyer. Nomi knew it wouldn't take long until it would teeming from TIEs. And there they were.  
Again Poe's voice: "Disband formation! Stay as far away from the Star Destroyer as you can, so the tractor beam can't get you!"  
Nomi and Dash steered their fighters away.  
"Cover me, Dash!"  
"Right behind you!"  
Via comm they heard the communications of the other pilots.  
"TIE at 0,35!"  
"I can't shake him!"  
"Stay calm, Red 11, I'll get him!"  
"I'm hit!"

The Jedi shouldn't be distracted by the hubbub of voices and the cries of dying comrades. A TIE came directly at her and fired. At the last moment she pulled downward, made a roll and fired on the TIE. The laser beams pierced the shield and the TIE exploded. One enemy less.  
Suddenly Dash's voice: "Nomi, behind you!"  
"I can't see him!"  
Then it was suddenly very bright in her cockpit.  
"Got him!"

A few clicks in front of her an X-wing of Red squadron was hit and exploded. The Jedi's stomach tensed up.  
More and more enemy fighter signatures showed up in her targeting computer and more and more signatures of her comrades were gone.  
"There are too many, Poe!"  
Then she heard Dameron's voice: "Blues, we're going in! Concentrate your fire on the deflector shield emitters. Reds keep the enemy fighters at bay!"

The X-wings of Blue Squadron engaged the Star Destroyer at full throttle. The Crusher's crew realized the upcoming danger fast. Heavy defensive fire from the turbo laser batteries met the Resistance pilots. Poe Dameron's maneuvers became ever more daring to avoid the deadly laser beams. It was a deadly dance. Suddenly Nomi felt danger.  
"Poe, you're too close!"  
In the last moment Dameron pulled the fighter up, before the Crusher's tractor beam could catch him. The Jedi heard via comm him breathe a sigh of relief.  
"Thank you, Blue 12! We'll bring it to an end! Blue 11, Blue 12, follow me!"  
Nomi and Dash pulled their fighters up too and flew close beside Dameron.  
"There are the deflector shield emitters! Where the shields overlap is a very small gap! We must score a direct hit there to destroy the emitters!"  
The Jedi and her husband answered in unison: "Copy, Blue Leader!"  
Nomi knew that the targeting computer would provide improper data. She reached out with the Force to find the spot Poe had mentioned. There it was.

"Fuzzy, proton torpedoes!" The astromech chirped and did as ordered. Nomi still heard via comm her comrades fighting and dying in order to cover their back. The Jedi closed her eyes and saw with the Force the small gap between the shields in front of her.  
She pushed the fire button and the proton torpedoes found their mark. Nomi opened her eyes and saw the impact and the resulting explosions, which ran through the deflector shield emitters at a speedy pace.  
Poe Dameron and her husband uttered unison a cry of triumph.  
"The shields are down! Repeat, the shields are down! Ready to attack the main reactor!"  
Pursued by TIEs the remaining X-wings flew full throttle at the Crusher and fired their proton torpedoes.  
"Blues, Reds, out of here!"  
The Resistance pilots veered, while the TIEs were less maneuverable and still headed for the Star Destroyer, that was shaken by violent explosions. The Crusher ripped into two parts as the main reactor exploded and dragged the surviving TIE pilots to their doom.

"Good job, guys! Let's go home!"  
Soon after the Resistance X-wings made the jump to hyperspace.


	25. D'Qar

The pilots whom had survived the attack on the Star Destroyer, landed their X-wings on the landing pad of the Resistance. Of 24 whom flown into combat, only 16 came back. Both the Reds and the Blues has had to mourn about deaths. The mood was despite the victory depressed, when Poe named the names of those killed in action: "Noora, Hobie, Jester, Pola, Calix, Hal, Lloyd and Sev are no longer among us. But their deaths weren't senseless, you should these always remember. They've fought that you and your children live in freedom. And we will carry on fighting."  
When Sev's name was mentioned, Nomi recalled the young pilot, who had doubts about the success of an attack with so few fighters. And now he was dead. Instead of him it could be her sons or her daughter, who drift now dead in Rakata Prime's orbit.

Dash put his arm around her, because he felt that she needed solace. "C'mon, Nomi, let's go to our children."  
The triplets and Tasherit stood nearby a barrack and talked animatedly. From their gestures one could conclude that they went through the combat once again. Beside Tasherit stood the young, handsome pilot, whom Nomi had already noticed during Dameron's brief speech before the mission. Dash looked with pride at his children. Then he had also discovered the young pilot, who seemed quite familiar with Tasherit. He took his daughter aside and asked straightforward: "Is the young man your boyfriend?"  
Tasherit looked at her father quite aghast.  
"No, Papa. What gives you that idea? Jaden Katarn is only my wing man and a good comrade.  
Her father looked thoughtful at her and nodded.  
"Too bad, I like the young man, Tasherit."

Meanwhile Nomi leaned against a tree trunk when Biggs approached her. "Can I speak to you briefly, Mama?" His mother nodded. "Dash told me about your training on the clearing."  
The Jedi wondered whether her middle son wanted to reproach her, like his younger brother.  
She was already looking for a suitable answer, when, quite surprisingly, she heard the request: "I would also like to train again, Mama. Can I come to you on the clearing?"  
Nomi was aware that it was becoming increasingly risky to train there. But should she deny one of her children what she granted to the other child? They were all Jedi and had the right to continue the path the Force had opened them. Also for that many had fought and suffered in the Galactic Civil War. Nomi smiled at her son, who was standing expectantly in front of her.  
"Of course you can train with us. Come to our barrack tomorrow night at 2100 and bring your lightsaber."  
Biggs bent down to his mother and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Mama, I'll be on time." Then he went to the barracks, which he shared with the male pilots of the Resistance.

Scarcely had Biggs left her, when Corran came to his mother. The Jedi was because of his face expression already aware that he would certainly not ask to train with her and his brothers.  
He glowered at his mother, who was still leaning against the tree trunk. "I've felt that you've used the Force again, mother." It hurt Nomi that he didn't called her Mama. She looked his son in the eyes and replied: "Without the Force there would have been more casualties among our comrades, Corran."  
Her son put her off. " You can't know that, mother. Master Skywalker taught us that the future is always in motion."  
Nomi shook her head. ""Why do you fail, Corran? The Resistance needs Jedi right now. Can't you realize this or don't you want to realize this? You abdicate your responsibility!"  
The young Jedi looked furiously at his mother. "I don't abdicate my responsibility, otherwise I would scarcely be here and wouldn't fly in combat, mother!" He turned around on the heel, leaving his mother standing just before she could reply.

Nomi wondered desperately from where this unbridled rage of her youngest son had came from. She shuddered at the thought whereto it could lead him.


	26. D'Qar

The next day, Nomi, Dash, and Snap were sitting in the galley at lunch when Poe Dameron stepped to their table. Without being asked to do so, he sat down on one of the unoccupied chairs. Dash looked up from his plate. "What is it, Poe?"  
Dameron leaned over the table and said, with a low voice, "I need your help. Ambassador Tarik has managed to get a replacement for the lost X-wings. I don't know how he managed it in such a short time. In two standard weeks we are supposed to meet the space freighter which transports the fighters to Endor and then escort it hither."  
Nomi also leaned over the table and asked, "And why are you making such a secret, Poe?"  
Dameron grinned broadly. "Because I'm a damn cautious man. Can I count on you?"  
The three pilots nodded. "Well, I've expected nothing else from you. See you in three standard days to discuss the mission. "  
At these words he rose and went to the door, which was just opened by Biggs Rendar. The young pilot pushed past Dameron and went to the table, where his parents sat together with Snap. He dropped into the chair Poe had just left. Wexley took his plate and stood up.  
"If your son is in such a hurry, then he has something on his heart that does not concern me. We'll see each other later during the field exercise."

When Snap had sat down at another table, Nomi and Dash looked at her son questioningly.  
Biggs bit his lower lip, which was always a sign of tension. Then he looked around and said, "Um, I think this isn't the right place to talk to you."  
Meanwhile his parents had emptied their plates. "If you want, we can go to our quarters." Biggs nodded.

In the small barrack, Biggs sat down on one of the folding chairs at the table. His parents also sat down and waited for what their son would have to say.  
Again he bit his lower lip, then began to speak hesitant. "Please, don't tell Corran that I told you this. But I can no longer bear how he hurts you, Mama. He has changed since the attack on the academy. He used to be calm and balanced, but now he is so full of anger, also towards you. I can feel it. I don't know how to help him to forget everything." He sighed.  
"You know, there was a girl..." He stopped and tears ran down his cheeks. "Sheila was Corran's great love, we found her dead in the hangar. Corran's cry of despair still sounds in my ears. I felt such anger and such a strong hatred in him when he forced together with me his way to the escape route with his double bladed lightsaber. These feelings haven't left him ever since. I am afraid for my brother. When I ask him to meditate, to become calmer, he doesn't listen to me at all. He doesn't want to use the Force anymore, because it has taken everything that was important to him. I'd like to help Corran, but I don't know how."  
He wiped the tears from his face and looked at his parents hopefully.  
Nomi shook her head. "We can't help him if he must not know that you've told us what happened."

Biggs looked down at the floor and muttered, "He would never forgive me that." Dash had been listening all the time without saying anything. His wife could see that he was profoundly touched by what he had heard. He cleared his throat, and Nomi suspected what he was about to say. His youngest son had now met the same fate as had befallen him so many years ago.  
"I'm no Jedi, Biggs, but only your father, but I think I can help. Do you know where I can find your brother?" Biggs nodded. "You'll find him at his X-wing, he wanted to recalibrate the controls."  
His father stood up and went to the door. "Wish me luck, because I'm afraid the dialog won't be easy."

As Dash arrived at the landing pad of the base, he heard loud cursing of a voice that was all too familiar. Corran sat in his X-wing and beat furiously against the control stick. Dash sighed as he saw his son that way. The timing of a conversation with him could not be less favorably.  
But he had no choice when he wanted to help his child.  
"Problems with the controls, Corran?"  
His son looked up from his work. "Looks like this, father, it's no use, I just can't get it." He jumped out of the fighter and landed a few centimeters beside his father on the ground. Dash remembered how Corran had always looked up at him when he was a child, now they were on eye level. He saw the anger in his son's eyes. "You're not only because of the controls angry, am I right?" Corran shook his head. "I've been watching you for a long time, my son, you are no longer laughing, and because of the least trifle you lose control. You begrudge your mother not a good word. What is wrong with you? Do you have so little confidence in me that you don't entrust yourself? Your mother is afraid that you'll give in to the dark side."  
The young Jedi laughed briefly and joyless. "The dark side... I'll never give in to the dark side, father."  
His father looked into his eyes and Corran lowered his gaze. "Tell me what's going on with you, what changed you, Corran?"  
Corran looked up and tears glittered in his eyes. "I am torn apart, father. These pictures, I just can't get them out of my head. Sheila... Kylo Ren and his henchmen killed her. She did not do anything to anyone. Biggs and I had found her dead in the academy hangar." He sobbed. "She was my great love, father!"  
Gently, Dash took his son in his arms. "I know what you're feeling now, Corran. I also have many years ago, before I met your mother, lost my first love. I have never spoken to you about this sad story. Only your mother knows about it. Her name was Tasherit, after her I've named your sister. We were engaged and she was expecting our child. One day stormtroopers came to our house in search of rebels when I was not there. They had simply shot Tasherit and then set fire to the house.  
I was just as desperate as you are now. For me, life had lost all meaning and I was full of hatred. But then I met your mother. She gave me the enjoyment of life back, even if I initially refused to accept my feelings for her."

Dash paused before he kept on talking. "Your Sheila was a Jedi, Corran, honor what she was and keep track of the path she had walked to and that she was unable to finish."  
Corran pulled away from the embrace of his father and looked him in the eyes, in which he recognized traces of grief over the loss Tasherits. He nodded. "Yes, father, you're right, Sheila would not have wanted me to give up everything and that there is only hatred and anger in me. I'm a Jedi and I'll remain a Jedi until my last breath, father."

Dash nodded his head. "I think you would give your mother a great pleasure if you come this evening at the clearing for practice."


	27. D'Qar

In the evening came Biggs and Dash Jr. to the barrack of their parents to go together with their mother to the clearing for practicing. They had hidden their lightsabers as ever. They were about to leave as it knocked at the door. Nomi opened the door and faced her youngest son. Dash had told her about the conversation with Corran, but she had not believed that her son would come to training.  
"Come in, Corran."  
Hesitantly, the young Jedi entered.  
"I'm sorry, Mama. Father has opened my eyes. I would like to train with you if you don't mind"  
Nomi smiled and embraced her son. "Why should I mind? I am glad that you do not reject the gift that the Force has given you, Corran. But now let's go."

A few minutes later, they had reached the clearing and all four of them took out their lightsabers, which had previously been hidden in rucksacks or satchels, and activated them.  
Corran had the most unusual of all. A double bladed lightsaber with two yellow blades, which could also be quickly converted into two individual lightsabers.

The clearing was aflame with the varicolored light of the blades, when the four Jedi began their practices. Concentrated they went through the various stages of lightsaber combat, before they practice with the training remote. The Force flowed between them, and Nomi felt that Corran had finally found his peace.  
She leaned with still activated lightsaber to a tree and admired the elegant yet powerful movements of their sons who fought with closed eyes. Every cut, every thrust came precisely. They had learned a lot from Luke.

Suddenly, she was startled from her absorption as a shadow fell on her face.  
"Why have you lied to me, when I asked you about the glow at the clearing, Nomi?"  
Startled, the Jedi looked at Poe Dameron's face that was green illuminated because of her lightsaber.  
"You and your sons... you're Jedi!"  
Nomi nodded and responded: "Not only me and our sons, Tasherit is also a Jedi, Poe."  
Dameron wrinkled his forehead. "Why didn't you tell me? Do you have so little faith in me?"  
Nomi shook her head and deactivated her lightsaber. Now she and Dameron stood in the twilight of the forest which was only illuminated by the glow of the lightsabers of the three young Jedi.  
Poe turned and watched the young men, whom he only knew as X-wing pilots, while they were practicing with their lightsabers.  
"I've never thought that I'll see this someday with my own eyes. My mother told me about the Jedi and also that she, together with Luke Skywalker, once saved two Force tree seedlings from an Imperial research facility on Vetine. Master Skywalker gave her one of these seedlings. My parents planted it near our house on Yavin 4 and he grew fast to a majestic tree.  
When I was a child, I've played in its shadow, Nomi. You see, I am not declining the Jedi and the Force."  
The Jedi replied: "Please, Poe, don't tell anyone, what you've seen here. Except of you, are Ambassador Tarik, General Organa, Admiral Ackbar and Nien Nunb the only persons who know that we're Jedi. And it should stay that way."  
She looked up at Dameron, who nodded thoughtfully. "I'll never tell anyone, Nomi. I promise."

Meanwhile the triplets had finished their practices and saw astonished Poe Dameron standing on the clearing aside their mother. They deactivated their lightsabers and came nearer.  
Poe laughed: "Now I know, why the Rendar siblings are so damn good pilots."  
Dash Jr. shook his head. "We've never used the Force during our flights, Poe."  
Dameron raised skeptically the eyebrows. "We should go in our quarters. Nomi, please be a little more careful when you are training. Do you promise me that?"  
The Jedi nodded.


	28. Endor

Two uneventful standard weeks were bygone after the encounter on the clearing. The days of Nomi and her family were full of field exercises, X-wing maintenance and the Jedi training at the evening on the clearing.  
Then the time had come for Poe, Snap, Nomi and Dash to escort the space freighter announced by Tarik, which transported the new X-wings he had acquired.

The four X-wings had been hovering for some time in Endor's orbit, where still the debris of the second Death Star was drifting. There was still no trace of the freighter. Dameron looked nervous at his chrono.  
Nomi could hear his voice over comm: "I don't understand this, they should be here by now."  
Snap retorted: "Maybe they've been held up somewhere."  
Then Nomi heard the skeptical voice of her husband: "I don't believe so, Snap. I fear they're in trouble. There are enough pirates along the hyperspace routes."  
Dameron replied: "That would be a disaster for the Resistance, we need the new fighters urgently."

At that moment a Baleen-class freighter, accompanied by two Z-95 headhunters fell into the normal room. Nomi looked amazed at the fighters and was surprised that these old models were still in use. "From which museum do you have them?" She asked but didn't get an answer.  
Poe breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the call of the freighter pilot over comm: "Nice to see you, Blues, here is the Lucky Girl, with the announced goods."  
Nomi wrinkled her forehead. This voice. Could it really be? "Tarik? What are you doing here?"  
She heard his chirping laugh. "Only diplomatic receptions, political intrigues, and this eternal bickering in the Senate of the New Republic, are simply nothing more for me. I thought it would be a good idea to support the Resistance as a pilot. Don't worry, my successor will acquire material for you. Yellow 1, Yellow 2 - from now on my friends will be my escort."  
The two Z-95 Headhunters peeled off and jumped shortly afterwards into hyperspace in order to travel home.

Poe Dameron gave a little while later the command to jump into hyperspace, to bring the cargo safely to D'Qar.


	29. D'Qar

After a quiet journey through hyperspace, the freighter Lucky Girl reached D'Qar's orbit with the desperate needed X-wings.  
Nomi heard Tarik's voice over the comm when he called ground control: " "Ground control, here is the Lucky Girl, I've got your new fighters, it would be nice if you send someone to pick them up."  
The answer came fast: "Lucky Girl, we're sending pilots with one of our transporters to bring the X-wings on the planet."  
Tarik laughed his chirping laugh. "Bring a whole squadron up here. I bring you twelve X-wings and a new pilot - Me"

A little later Nomi saw a transporter of the Resistance slowly approaching the Lucky Girl.  
Cautiously, the pilot maneuvered the transporter into the freighter's docking bay. She knew that the X-wing pilots of Red Squadron would get off the transporter to take over the new fighters and fly to the planet's surface.  
It did not take long and the new X-wings left, along with the transporter, the docking bay of the space freighter, which immediately afterwards jumped into hyperspace.  
The Jedi heard Dameron's voice via comm: "Mission accomplished without problems. Blues, we should celebrate a bit and this time I have something very special for you."

When Nomi and her comrades flew over the landing pad with their X-wings, they saw the twelve brand-new T-70s. The pilots jumped out of their fighters when they were scarcely landed.  
Poe Dameron grinned broadly. "Ambassador Tarik did a great job again."  
The winged non-human just came to the landing pad and had heard Poe's words.  
He replied: "I'm no longer ambassador, Commander. Just call me Tarik. I'm assigned to Red Squadron." He addressed Nomi. "What a pity, we can't fly together, old friend."  
"Yes, it's a pity, Tarik, but at the Reds you can have an eye on Tasherit." The Jedi winked at her old comrade.  
He laughed out loud. "I think your daughter can take care of herself, Nomi."  
Meanwhile, Dash and Snap had joined. Snap slapped Dameron on the shoulder and said: "You've said you've something special for us, Poe."  
The commander nodded. "Come into my barrack. Tarik, you're also invited. I've been able to get Jet Sprit."  
Nomi laughed, when she remembered, which fatal effect the stuff had on Tarik during their last meeting on Hosnian Prime.  
Apparently her old friend remembered, for he waved his hand. "Thank you for the invitation, Commander, but I do not touch this stuff anymore. Also, I need to calibrate the controls of my X-wing. I don't want to experience any nasty surprises in my first combat."  
With these words, he went away, but not without to embrace Nomi.

Dameron looked around. "But you take part?" The three pilots nodded.  
"Well, then come with me." Together they went to Dameron's barrack.  
Dash, Nomi and Snap sat around the table and Poe took a bottle Jet Sprit out of his locker.  
He then put the glasses on the table, poured into each one a good deal and handed it to his guests.  
He raised his glass. "Let's drink to the successful mission and the new fighters." He paused for a moment and then continued: "And also to the comrades who were less fortunate than we so far, and whom were killed in action."  
After that the men downed the Jet Sprit in one and kept a straight face, while Nomi only took a nip of her drink. The Jet Sprit burned like fire in the Jedi's throat, but she kept a straight face too.  
Dameron watched her from the corner of his eye and nodded approvingly. "You're the first woman I know who can drink Jet Sprit without coughing, Nomi." The pilot put him off.  
"I've drunk the stuff already when I was with Rogue Squadron while your mother still gave you Juri juice."  
The Commander laughed and replenished the glasses for the men and himself. This time they didn't simply gulped the Jet sprit down, but rather took their time.  
Dameron pivoted thoughtful his glass and moved the liquid in circles.  
"I hope that General Organa is successful and we finally get simulators. We could save fuel that is difficult to procure if we could practice in them, rather than with our fighters."  
Snap nodded in agreement, then he took a long drink out of his glass. "Yes, the fuel procurement is a problem and the procurement of spare parts. Let's drink to our mechanics, my friends." He emptied his glass.  
Dash and Poe did the same, while Nomi merely sipped again. She didn't wanted to be the picture of misery, which she was at one of the legendary victory celebrations of Rogue Squadron, when she had thrown up in front of all comrades. After that she listened for days to mocking remarks.

Poe replenished the glasses for the men and himself again. Then the bottle was empty. He shrugged. "You should always stop when it's best. Also, we should keep a clear head, my friends. Who knows what will happen tomorrow." He raised his glass once more. "Long live the Resistance!" His guests also raised the glasses. "Long live the Resistance!" Then the men emptied their glasses in one go.  
Shortly thereafter the three pilots took leave of their commander.


	30. D'Qar

Two standard weeks later stood Tasherit at her parent's door. "May I come in?"  
Her father who had opened the door nodded and his daughter stepped in. "I want to say goodbye, because the High Command send me on a long-term mission. So that you don't worry when you won't see me the next few weeks on the base."  
"Is this young man... What was his name? Ah, yes, this Jaden Katarn. Will he take part on the mission?"  
Tasherit shook her head. "No, Papa, he doesn't take part. I fly alone."  
The name Katarn made Tasherit's mother sit up. "Jaden Katarn? The name Katarn isn't so common in the galaxy. Is he akin to Kyle Katarn?"  
Tasherit nodded and answered: "Kyle Katarn is his father."  
"Then he's also a Jedi."  
Tasherit laughed. "No, Mama, just because his father is a Jedi, he does not necessarily have to be one. Jaden is a normal person. And that's good. My three brothers who can use the Force are already enough."  
Dash looked at his daughter. "Is Katarn your lover?"  
Tasherit blushed. "No, Papa, as I've already said he's my wing man and in the meantime a very good friend."  
Her father nodded and cleared meaningful his throat. Nomi touched slightly her husband.  
"Leave her alone, Dash."  
The Jedi hugged her daughter who was already a few centimeters taller than her. "Take care, my little one and may the Force be with you."  
Tasherit slipped from the embrace and looked at her chrono. "I have to go."  
She hugged her father and kissed him on the cheek.  
"Fly carefully, Starlet and stay healthy."  
His daughter laughed. "I always do, Papa." Then she left briskly the barrack to escape further embraces and good advices from her parents.

Dash sat down at the small table and looked thoughtfully at his wife, who was standing at the open barrack door and gazed after her daughter.  
"Why does the High Command send our daughter alone on a mission?"  
Nomi turned to him. "I don't know. But they've sent Poe also often alone, Dash. Perhaps she should meet somewhere some new recruits to give them the coordinates of the base. Don't worry, Darling." She winked at her husband. "Do not forget, our daughter has the Force as an ally."


	31. D'Qar

The next morning, Nomi was ordered to come to the Resistance High Command in the command center. Surprised, she looked at Dash. "What do they want from me? I'm only a simple pilot."  
Her husband smiled at her. "Only a simple pilot? Darling, you've survived so many battles, possibly they want to benefit from your experience."

When Nomi entered the command center, she saw Admiral Ackbar and Major Ematt , whom stood at the holoprojector table. Over the table floated the hologram of the planet Ord Mantell. Admiral Ackbar waved Nomi nearer. "Ah, Commander Darklighter. Glad you have followed my order so quickly."  
Interested Major Ematt looked at the pilot. "Commander Darklighter? Are you related to Biggs Darklighter?"  
Nomi nodded slightly. "Yes, he was my cousin, Major. His death during the assault on the first Death Star caused me to join the Alliance."  
The Major smiled slightly. "Biggs Darklighter's cousin, who would have thought? I knew your cousin well. We were together stationed on Yavin 4. He burned for our cause, Commander."  
Nomi could still remember very well how her cousin had raved of the Alliance when he was the last time on Tatooine. He was on his way to the secret meeting point when he came back to his home planet to say good-bye to his closest friend and his family. No one could know at that time that it would be a farewell forever.  
She was torn from her thoughts when Poe Dameron stormed into the command center. "Excuse me, that I'm late. I've been held up. Admiral Ackbar put him off. "Relax, Commander, we know that you never take it so precisely with punctuality. And not only with it. But let's leave that now. We have more important things to discuss." The Admiral turned to Major Ematt: "Please explain to Commander Darklighter and Commander Dameron what it's all about."  
The Major nodded. "We have intel, that the First Order operates a secret research facility on Ord Mantell. You should find out whether the information is correct. If so, the laboratory must be destroyed."  
Nomi looked surprised at Major Ematt and responded: "But we're pilots."  
Ematt smiled. "Commander Darklighter, we are well informed about your career in the Alliance. You have repeatedly and successfully carried out commando missions during the Galactic Civil War."  
The Jedi smiled back and wished inwardly that Admiral Ackbar wouldn't have such a good memory concerning her missions at this time.  
Dameron had listened attentively all the time, then he objected: "A commando mission with two commandos? Are you making jokes, Major?"  
"Of course not, Commander. You two will assemble a commando unit. You know best who is suitable. Here are the coordinates for your mission."  
Poe received the data chip.  
"That's all, Commander Darklighter, Commander Dameron. Dismissed."

Outside the command center, Poe looked at Nomi questioningly. "How many commando missions have you already conducted?"  
The Jedi shrugged. "I can't remember. There were... many. Any idea whom we could add to our team?"  
Dameron grinned broadly. "Oh yes, I have. I think about your husband and your sons. With four Jedi and a seasoned mercenary we should be able to destroy these First Order research facility, if it's really on Ord Mantell. We meet at 2000 for the briefing in my quarters."  
Nomi nodded. "I'll inform Dash and the triplets."  
"Good."

At 2000 all forgathered in Poe's barrack. The triplets leaned because of lack of seats against a wall, while their parents and Poe sat at the table.  
"I want to emphasize that you still can decide whether you participate in this mission or not. We force nobody to participate." He looked expectantly at Dash and the three young Jedi.  
Dash spoke first: "Nomi told me that it goes to Ord Mantell. Well, I know the place and it wouldn't be my first commando mission. Count me in, Poe."  
Dameron took the decision of the former mercenary with a brief nod. Then he looked to his sons, who spoke quietly with each other. Finally Dash Jr. as the eldest of the brothers begun to speak: "We've no experience with commando missions, but our abilities as Jedi should compensate this. Count us in, Commander Dameron."  
Poe smiled. "We should drop these formalities, Dash. After all, we'll fight together. Just call me Poe." He activated his data pad and slide the data chip in, which Major Ematt had given him. "The coordinates that specify the location of the research laboratory, show that it should be located in the volcanic area of Ord Mantell. We will fly with a small freighter to Ord Mantell and land at some distance from the coordinates. On board the freighter, we will transport explosives with time fuzes, with which we can blow up the laboratory. The most difficult thing will be to invade the laboratory to set up the explosives. The First Order won't leave such an object unguarded. The rest is a walk in the park. As equipment we also need blaster rifles and blasters. As I've heard, Nomi and Corran are very skilled with the vibro knives, if it comes to a melee. And above all things, take your lightsabers with you. Well, I guess that's all. See you tomorrow at 0800 at the landing pad."


	32. D'Qar

At 0800 the members of the small commando unit met at the landing pad of the Resistance base. Poe Dameron whistled to himself as he watched the droids bring the explosives on board the small space freighter.  
Dash looked skeptical at the ship that would bring them to Ord Mantell. "The Resistance couldn't provide a better ship?"  
Dameron responded: "It will take us where we have to go and with luck it will us bring back here, Dash. It isn't the Outrider of course. We have to be inconspicuous and for this purpose, the Glorious is just right."  
Glorious, the name was the purest exaggeration for this hunk of junk. This ship wasn't in any way glorious.  
Poe continued: "The hyper drive works and the on-board armament is sufficient. Please check the engines, Dash."  
Meanwhile the triplets brought EL-16 HFE blaster rifles on board, which they would need during the mission.  
Nomi followed her sons and put her vibro knife in the scabbard that hung on her weapon belt.  
They've hidden the lightsabers in satchels and rucksacks as usual. They would attach them at their weapon belts when they would be at their place of action.

When all the explosives were loaded, Poe also went on board. Dash already sat strapped in the pilot seat, while Nomi had taken the co-pilot seat. Dameron couldn't suppress a smile and remarked: "Never change a winning team. I'll go abaft to your sons." He shouted loudly: "Are you up for a game Dejarik?" Then he went to the freighter's mid-section and joined the three young Jedi.

Dash gave his wife a quick look and smiled. "Let's bring the baby in orbit." With half of the repulsors energy the Glorious lifted and ascended slowly in D'Qar's orbit. A little later, they had left the atmosphere and quickly moved away from the gravitational shadow to make the jump to hyperspace.


	33. Ord Mantell

Many Dejarik games later, interrupted only by meals, which consisted of protein bars, lightsaber training and sleep, heard the triplets and Poe Nomi's voice over the intercom: "Prepare yourself, we go back to sub-light speed. Shields are up, Dash."

After a little while the Glorious fell back in normal space and in the cockpit window was Ord Mantell to be seen. Dash entered the coordinates of the landing spot that was several kilometers away from the supposed research facility of the First Order.  
"If nothing has changed, then we'll get no problems. There's nobody who's asking about who's coming or leaving."  
The freighter approached slowly the planet, which increased in size when they watched upon it in the cockpit window. Finally, the Glorious immersed into the atmosphere and Dash steered she towards their destination.

Slowly the freighter landed on a hill that was located next to a volcano crater. Scarcely landed, Dash opened the hatch and lowered the access ramp. Immediately they could perceive the sulfur smell, which invaded the ship.  
The Jedi wrinkled her nose. "I can understand why the First Order has a research facility right here. No stranger comes here of his own choice. What a beguiling smell we've discovered."  
Dameron responded: "We still don't know if there really is something here. Our informant could be wrong, Nomi."  
The triplets shouldered their blaster rifles and fastened their lightsabers on their weapon belts, while Dash again checked his heavy blaster and put it in his holster.  
Corran interjected: "We'll soon know about that, Poe."  
The commander nodded. "Everything ready? Best we take the explosives with us now." As they were stowed in the rucksacks and the freighter was secured, they left.

Nomi looked suspicious to the ground on which the small commando unit was moving towards their destination. "I don't know, Poe, somehow it feels strange."  
Dash, who had gone ahead, turned to her and said: "Here's the volcanic area of Ord Mantell, sweetheart. And there are not only above-ground volcanoes, here the whole ground is hollowed out and in some cases are also magma chambers directly under the ground. So watch your steps. Otherwise, our mission will be at an end sooner than expected."  
They walked silently, weighing up every step.

Finally, they reached the end of the volcano area, which was bordered by a small chain of hills. Poe ordered his men to take cover and took out his macrobinocular. He carefully scanned the surrounding area. The Jedi watched him and immediately noticed that the Commander had discovered something. He passed the macrobinocular to Dash, who also saw through. The former mercenary whistled softly through his teeth. "The First Order apparently doesn't do things by halves. "Take a look, Nomi," he whispered and gave his wife the device.  
When she looked through, she saw the entrance to a cave secured with a durasteel door, where two stormtroopers stood guard.  
Dameron turned to the three young Jedi who had hunkered down right behind him.  
"If the two troopers raise the alarm, it was all in vain. But we can't shoot them from here with our blaster rifles because of the clamor."  
"Leave it to me, Poe," Corran said and crawled to his mother. He whispered something in her ear and the Jedi nodded.

A little later, Poe could see through the macrobinocular how Nomi and her son, always seeking cover, were slowly approaching the cave entrance and the stormtroopers from two sides. Then everything happened very quickly. Mother and son broke cover, at the same time with drawn vibro knives, and attacked the totally surprised troopers. The fight was short, and a few standard seconds later, the two troopers lay with cut throats, dead at the feet of their assailants.

Nomi looked disgusted at the corpse at her feet as she wiped the blood from her vibro knife.  
She realized again that it made a difference, whether you were sitting in a fighter, destroying the faceless opponent with laser canons or if you kill him in a bloody melee on the ground.  
She sighed as she looked to her youngest son, who also cleans his knife from the blood of the dead enemy.

Meanwhile Dameron gave Dash and his two sons the signal to advance and then he went ahead with his blaster rifle at the ready. They reached the cave entrance without incident.  
There Biggs activated his lightsaber and began to cut a large hole in the durasteel with the glowing green blade. The others were prepared to give him covering fire if any defenders would shoot on him from the inside.

And they weren't long in coming. Scarcely the hole been large enough to get through, the stormtroopers who were behind it opened fire. Biggs jumped for cover while he fended off the shots with his lightsaber. Several troopers were hit by the ricochets and fell dead on the ground while the survivors retreated.  
The Jedi waved his comrades. "Let's go in before they get reinforcements! This is the best opportunity!"  
Poe nodded. "Ok, let's go, Blues!"  
One after the other, the commandos jumped through the hole in the durasteel door, looking for cover in the narrow passageway, which opened before them. Poe, Corran and Dash Jr. held their weapons at the ready, while Biggs and Nomi held their activated lightsabers to deflect blaster shots. They advanced slowly, always reckoning with more stormtroopers they would come across.  
Poe pointed to a spot on the wall, where two supporting pillars met. "We should place the first explosive charge here." As soon as he had said it, he get down to action. "Go on!"  
The passage made a bend to the left. Dameron cursed when he saw the stormtroopers, who had entrenched themselves there and he jumped into cover. But he wasn't fast enough. A shot hit him in the upper arm and he dropped his rifle.  
He crouched at the wall with a pain-distorted face and said with clenched teeth: "Go on without me. I'm trying to get to the freighter. Here, Nomi, take the detonator for the explosives."  
The Jedi nodded. "Yes, we'll end it now. See you at the freighter, Poe."  
Then she approached the stormtroopers with activated lightsaber, which immediately opened fire on her. A quick glance showed her that Biggs was following her. His lightsaber was also activated. Together, mother and son deflected the blaster shots and threw it back on the stormtroopers while Dash, Dash Jr. and Corran opened fire on them.  
Soon the passage was filled with fire, smoke, and screaming of the dying and wounded. After a few standard minutes it was over. Nomi placed the next explosive and pointed forward. Her husband and her sons climbed over the stormtroopers lying on the ground and continued their way into the research facility.  
Nomi wondered how many stormtroopers she would still encounter while she placed at irregular intervals explosives at neuralgic points.

But there weren't more stormtroopers when they proceeded further in the facility. In the meantime, the Jedi had placed the last of the explosives and armed. All she had to do now was push the detonator once they had left the complex to light it up. "Retreat!"  
Nomi and Biggs went ahead, while the former mercenary and the two other young Jedi secured their retreat from behind.  
Finally they reached the exit and climbed through the hole.

"Damn, they've called reinforcements!" Before the exit, they were expected by First Order stormtroopers. Nomi hoped that Poe had managed to get away in time, despite his injury.  
The stormtroopers opened fire.  
Dash Jr. and Corran was immediately clear that they here couldn't achieve anything with blaster rifles. They swiftly took their lightsabers from their weapon belts, activated them and shouted to Dash: "Father, get down!"  
The four Jedi stood back to back when they realized that the stormtroopers were trying to encircle them. With their lightsabers, they deflected the blaster shots that came in swift succession. As if in a trance, they parried every shot, until suddenly a ghostly calm prevailed.  
When the smoke had cleared, they saw that no stormtrooper had survived.  
Dash broke cover and saw the carnage, which his wife and sons had left behind. "C'mon, Nomi, let's blow up the thing and get out of here."  
The Jedi nodded and pushed the detonator. There was a huge explosion when the explosives went off inside the complex.  
Then they turned and began the return march.

When they reached the freighter without incidents, they were awaited by Poe. He had already treated his blaster wound and apparently had taken pain killers. Dameron looked expectantly at his weary companions.  
Nomi smiled when she said, "Mission accomplished, Poe. There are no survivors who could report that four Jedi were involved in the research facility's destruction."  
Dameron nodded with a pleased expression. " "Well done, Blues, as I was expecting. Let's fly home."

A little later, the Glorious ascended in Ord Mantell's orbit to make the jump to hyperspace and to go back to D'Qar.


	34. D'Qar

When they landed they were already expected by Admiral Ackbar and Major Ematt.  
The six members of the commando unit left the freighter that had brought them, contrary to their expectations, without any problems to their place of action and back. Major Ematt was the first to take the floor: "Was your mission successful, Commander Dameron?"  
Poe nodded. "It was really a First Order facility, Major. Our informant was right about this."  
Ematt responded: "The First Order dares indeed to invade New Republic territory. We must put a stop to that."  
Admiral Ackbar nodded approvingly. "We must warn the government on Hosnian Prime. Someone has to listen to us and recognize the danger before it's too late. There must not arise a new Empire and destroy everything we've fought for."  
He turned to the three young Jedi who stood next to their parents and Dameron. "As I have been told by Commander Dameron, you three have distinguished yourselves by particular bravery. I have therefore the pleasure to promote you to officer's rank. Lieutenant Dash Rendar, Lieutenant Biggs Rendar, Lieutenant Corran Rendar, I congratulate you on your promotion." He affixed the new rank insignia on the triplet's battle suits and congratulated them once again with a handshake.  
Nomi and Dash looked proudly at their sons and regretted that Tasherit couldn't be present at the promotion of her brothers. She wasn't on the base since more than a standard month. Nomi began to worry.

Poe slapped the newly-promoted brothers on the shoulders. "Congratulations, guys, we should celebrate that." He turned to their parents: "Do you take part?"  
Dash took him off. "No, I must first get out of this battle suit. And I think Nomi will also prefer a nice shower instead of your celebration."  
His wife nodded and said: "Go ahead, I'll be right there, Dash."


	35. D'Qar

Two standard months later, Tasherit Rendar hasn't returned to the Resistance base. Nomi and Dash began to worry. They knew that some missions could take longer, but the Jedi was sure that something had gone wrong.

Troubled, she went to Admiral Ackbar. The old Mon Calamari warrior looked at her kindly when she stood before him in his quarters.  
"Commander Darklighter what an unexpected pleasure. Please the take a seat."  
The Jedi sat down in a chair in front of his desk.  
"What can I do for you, Commander?  
Nomi knew that she hasn't to be afraid of the admiral, so she made her request without hesitation. "Did you hear anything of my daughter, General?"  
Ackbar shook his head. "I'm afraid not. Your daughter should be back on the base before a standard month."  
"And why were we not informed, Admiral?"  
Ackbar leaned back in his chair and looked the Jedi straight in the eyes. "Commander Darklighter, your daughter is an adult woman and when I remember right a Jedi, like you and your sons. Even if you try to hide it here at the Resistance. Yes, I remember that you're a Jedi. My species has an excellent memory, Commander." The admiral leaned slightly forward and lowered his voice. "You know that the First Order, just like the Empire, hunts the Jedi in order to destroy them?"  
Nomi nodded.  
"Be careful, Commander. And to calm you a little, we are already looking for your daughter.  
We can spare only a few people, but I have sent Lieutenant Katarn on the search." He winked at the Jedi. "The young man has volunteered. It seems he's very interested in your daughter."  
Nomi shook her head. "You must be wrong, Admiral. Tasherit and the young man are only good friends and comrades."  
Ackbar laughed quietly. "It seems to me that even for a Jedi some things remain hidden." Then he became serious again. "I will inform you when we know something about the whereabouts of Lieutenant Rendar."  
Nomi stood up and took her leave from Admiral Ackbar.

When she returned to her barrack her husband was waiting for her. "And what did Ackbar say?" The Jedi sat down at the table where her husband already was seated, before she answered. "Tasherit has been overdue for a standard month, Dash."  
Her husband jumped up. "And that you say so calmly?"  
His wife smiled. "Ackbar has assured me that they're already searching for her. Lieutenant Katarn has volunteered. The admiral said that the young man would be interested in our daughter."  
Dash sat down again. "I was right. When even Ackbar has noticed... As if! Only friends and comrades."  
Nomi brushed her husband's remark aside. "I am convinced that Katarn will find our daughter sooner or later. No matter where Tasherit is, she is a Jedi and be able to fend for herself, Dash."  
Her husband sighed. "I just hope that she has not fallen into the hands of the First Order."  
He stood up and went to the locker to take his pilot gear.  
"Poe is waiting for me at the landing pad. I have promised to show him a few tricks on how to outmaneuver TIEs. He's one hell of a pilot, but the kid doesn't know everything."  
The Jedi laughed and gave her husband a kiss.  
A little later, Dash had changed, tucked the pilot's helmet under his arm and left the barrack toward the landing pad.

There, he was already awaited by the young, self-confident commander. Poe grinned broadly and patted his astromech's head, when he saw Dash approaching him. "I'm curious what the oldster will show me, BB-8." A quick tone sequence was the droid's response. Poe laughed.  
"Yes, you could be right."  
Meanwhile, Dash had reached earshot. "About what could the droid be right, Poe?"  
"He thought you were going to fire me up, Dash. He probably did talk to your astromech."  
The former mercenary laughed. "Be glad you don't practice with Nomi, but with me. Now let's begin."  
He climbed light-footed the ladder, jumped into his X-wing, strapped in, donned his helmet and put on the gloves. His astromech, who was already in his socket, whistled happily to himself.  
Dash read the translation in his display. "Yes, we make just a few small, cozy exercises for the youngster." He looked at Poe's fighter and saw that Dameron was ready as well. He nodded to the commander and said via com: "If you're ready, we can start."  
" Yes, Dash, I'm ready to go."

Almost simultaneously the fighters ascended into the atmosphere of D'Qar. Poe heard Dash's voice again: "Follow me and try to copy what I'm doing, Poe." At the same time, he saw how Dash set his fighter in front of his fighter.  
Suddenly, the X-wing made a swing to the left, while at the same time changing over to vertical flight. Abruptly, the vertical flight ended and with a simultaneous swing to the right, Dash went into the descent to suddenly turn the machine to the left again. This was followed by a roll which came very close to the famous Darklighter roll.  
Dash grinned as he compelled his fighter almost to the limit. And he thought quietly that it wouldn't only be the limit of the machine.  
Poe endeavored to copy all the maneuvers which the experienced combat pilot showed him.  
He couldn't believe that a man still had such quick reflexes in this age to be able to fly like that. Dash Rendar literally danced with his X-wing through the air. At this speed it would have any TIE Pilot hard to get it into the target acquisition. Straight out of a roll, Dash flew into a looping.  
Poe pulled the joystick to bring his fighter also in the looping, at the same time he felt that his stomach suddenly began to rebel. Desperately, he tried to fight the rising nausea. Oh no, not that! He was about to throw up. He had to admit that Nomi's husband had pushed him to his limits. Dameron took a deep breath as he finished the looping and went right back into the vertical flight, like the fighter in front of him.  
Luckily, the nausea had subsided and he would not be the laughing stock of the other pilots and especially Dash.  
Slowly, he didn't had so many problems to copy Dash's maneuvers. He became more and more secure and soon his fighter danced through D'Qar's atmosphere as if it were the lightest of the galaxy. A last roll, and then he heard Dash's voice over the com again: "I think that's enough for today, Poe."

When the two fighters stood side by side again on the landing pad, both pilots jumped out of the cockpit. Dameron took off his helmet and Dash saw that his hair was completely sweaty.  
The Galactic Civil War veteran grinned and slapped the younger man vigorously on the shoulder. "It looks like I made you sweat, Poe."  
The commander nodded and responded: "Your maneuvers pack a punch, Dash. You must have at that time made quite a problem to the Empire with your X-wings."  
Rendar laughed. "Oh, yes, Poe. A few more practice sessions and the First Order has also with you not an easy game. And if you teach that to the other pilots of the Blues and Reds, the First Order will learn to fear you. By the way, you will no longer have the feeling that you're about to throw up. Believe me, I speak from experience."  
Dameron blushed slightly, but then he laughed also, ran his fingers through his sweaty hair and not went into Dash's last remark. "I know, Dash, the Rogue Squadron and their Commander Wedge Antilles are legends. My mother told me a lot about them when I was a child. And now I'm fighting along with two pilots who have served in this famous Civil War squadron. I have to leave now, Dash. Thank you for showing me your tricks."  
He nodded again to Dash and then went to his barrack, followed by BB-8.

Dash looked after him, then he turned to go to his barrack where Nomi would certainly be waiting for him.  
When he entered the barrack, his wife lay on her cot, looking expectantly at him. "Well, darling, how was our young commander at the joystick?"  
Dash grinned. "Well, apart from the fact that the kid almost spread his breakfast in the cockpit, very good. Dameron is really a talented pilot, with a quick perception. He had even managed to do a half Darklighter roll. Could he, like you, use the Force, he would be unbeatable. He's one hell of a pilot, Nomi, and I think he can fly anything if he doesn't abate with the training."  
The Jedi nodded. "I kind of felt it, that this young man has something special about him, Dash. But he's also reckless and that could bring him one day in great danger."


	36. D'Qar

A few standard days later, Nomi and Dash were on the landing pad to make their fighters ready for takeoff when a transporter of the Resistance, escorted by two X-wings landed.  
The hatch opened, the ramp lowered and a for Nomi familiar woman emerged in D'Qar's morning sun.

Leia Organa, who was no longer Princess of Alderaan but the general and founder of the Resistance. Behind Leia came C-3PO, her protocol droid, who oddly had a red arm. The General squinted in the sun and shielded her eyes with her hand when she looked in Nomi's direction.  
Suddenly a smile brightened her face by the time she recognized her old friend. She hurried toward her, then stopped abruptly and walked at a measured step. She had probably remembered that a general shouldn't run like a little girl. Nomi went to meet her, and they met halfway. Leia smiled, but the Jedi saw that behind the smile deep grief was hidden. The two women embraced each other. Then Leia broke from the embrace and looked at Dash, who was slowly approaching.  
"I might have guessed that it wouldn't take long until you join us. It will be a pleasure for you to hear that I could get flight simulators. They're just unloading the cargo."  
She pointed to the transporter behind her, to which were brought binary load lifters.  
"And then I have something else, rather someone on board, you will be delighted."  
At that moment, a young, red-haired woman stepped out of the transporter.  
"Tasherit!" Nomi ran toward her daughter, while a black-haired pilot jumped out of his fighter and also headed for the young woman. Lieutenant Katarn, for he was the black-haired pilot, was faster than Nomi, and reached Tasherit before her. The Jedi didn't believe her eyes when Katarn bend down to Tasherit and gave her a long, tender kiss.  
'That's gone pretty fast with them,' thought Nomi.  
Startled the two went apart when Nomi stood beside them and cleared her throat. Tasherit blushed and looked embarrassed to the ground. The Jedi shook Katarn's hand, who was also slightly embarrassed, and looked into his phenomenally blue eyes. "Thank you that you've found our daughter, Lieutenant."  
"You're welcome, Commander." He put his arm around Tasherit. "Your daughter is very important to me, you know. When I heard that she was missing, I immediately volunteered. I was sure that I would find her."  
Nomi responded: "I can imagine. Your father is Kyle Katarn, right?"  
Jaden nodded. The Jedi looked at him thoughtfully, when she reached out with the Force and was looking for a certain point in his inside. When she found the point, she was slightly pushed back. Nomi smiled. "You're Force sensitive, Lieutenant, like your father. But he didn't train you, or the reaction would have been stronger. I wonder why he didn't train you. You have potential, because otherwise you wouldn't have been able to find Tasherit so quickly."  
The young lieutenant shrugged. "My father didn't want anything to do with the Jedi and the Force. He was shocked when he realized that I could use the Force."  
Nomi looked at him in surprise. "It must be clear to your father that it is dangerous if he leaves you untrained."  
Jaden laughed. "I'll be careful, Commander."  
The Jedi could only shake her head at so much carelessness.

Dash appeared and had heard the last part of the exchange of words. He looked at his wife and then stated the question of which Nomi had hoped he wouldn't ask: "Can't you train the young man, darling?"  
The Jedi shook her head. "No, Dash, I'm not a Jedi Master, like Luke. I can't do this, otherwise I would have been able to train our children by myself. And you know why we went to Dagobah."  
Her husband nodded thoughtfully. He remembered clearly how his wife had almost killed her childhood friend Luke during a lightsaber training in the throne room of the former Imperial Palace, when she was standing under the influence of the late Emperor. Her children were at the time also in danger of succumbing to the insinuations of the evil presence. The former mercenary sighed. "You're right, Nomi. Luke should train the young man."

Leia, who was not far away, listened attentively, when her brother's name was mentioned and came closer. Jaden Katarn saluted before the general, but Leia ignored him. She turned to Nomi. Again the Jedi felt the hidden sorrow behind her friend's smile.  
"Can I come to you this evening?" Nomi and Dash nodded. "Thank you, my friends."


	37. D'Qar

In the evening, the Jedi and her husband were talking about Jaden Katarn, their daughter's boyfriend. Dash shook his head. "I don't know if that's good when our daughter is with this pilot, Nomi. What if he will be killed in action? I can see how Corran suffers from the loss of his first great love. I want to spare our daughter this."  
His wife looked at him thoughtfully. "Did we ask for it when we came together?"  
"This was something completely different. You were at that time a smuggler and no pilot of the Alliance, sweetheart."  
The Jedi smiled as she thought about how she had met her husband. It didn't take long, and she was fatally attracted to the self-confident Corellian. At the same time, however, she remembered how she had suffered when she thought he had died by the destruction of Prince Xizor's sky hook. At that time, she was pregnant with the triplets.

She was brought out of her thoughts when there was a knock at the barrack door. Dash stood up and opened the door, standing in front of Leia. He let the general in and said: "I'll go to our boys. You certainly have a lot to tell each other and I think I would only hamper you."  
As soon as he had said that, he had already stepped out of the door and made his way to the crew barrack of the male pilots.

Nomi went to meet her friend and hugged her. "I am pleased that we finally meet again in person, Leia. Please take a seat."  
The Jedi pointed to one of the folding chairs and the general took a seat. Leia seemed extremely tensed up.  
Nomi took a pot of blum fruit tea from the small kitchen and filled two cups. The leader of the Resistance accepted the hot drink grateful. Nomi sat down beside her and looked at her questioningly. Her friend sighed. " I don't know where to start, Nomi. It's all so..." She faltered and looked at a point, which seemed light-years away. "Luke is so long away. After the catastrophe he just disappeared and no one knows where to."  
Nomi took her friends hand. "You mean the betrayal by Ben, isn't that so?"  
Leia nodded and tears ran down her cheeks. "We should have noticed what is going on in our son, Nomi. Han isn't able to cope with the whole thing and avoids me. I would need him so much now. I still love him, despite the problems we have. Snoke is to blame for everything. He has seduced Ben to the dark side. If only I could find Luke."  
Nomi glanced the general in the tear-stained eyes. "Luke was with us on Dagobah. Shortly after the attack on the academy by Kylo Ren and his henchmen. He disappeared early in the morning, but he gave Dash something. An ancient data store, which we should bring to a certain Lor San Tekka on Jakku. Perhaps this data store contains a reference to Luke's whereabouts."

Leia looked at Nomi full of hope. "I know Lor San Tekka and I know how to get in touch with him." She jumped up and hugged the Jedi. "You've given me hope. If the data store actually contains a map, I will send Commander Dameron to Jakku."


	38. D'Qar

The next morning Leia came to Dash's and Nomi's quarters. She sat down to them at the table and Nomi pushed a cup of caf over to her. The general looked as if she had good news. She took a sip and then she spoke full enthusiasm: "The data store you've brought to Jakku actually contains a map. Do you know what that means? I finally got a chance to find my brother. If Luke is back, everything can be fine. I am so grateful to you. Commander Dameron will set out for Jakku to pick up the data store from Lor San Tekka."  
Nomi was happy for Leia and replied: "These are really good news, Leia. I can imagine that you can't wait."  
The general nodded and stood up. "I don't want to hold you back any longer."  
Dash and Nomi also stood up. "We'll accompany you to the landing pad, if you don't mind.  
The routine maintenance of our X-wings is due."

When they arrived at the landing, they saw Poe Dameron preparing his X-wing for takeoff.  
BB-8 was already in his socket, while Poe walked around his fighter. Next to the X-wing was an EL-16 HFE blaster rifle, which he probably wanted to take with him.  
The commander, who wore the battle gear of the Resistance troops, combined with his beloved leather jacket, instead of his usual pilot coverall had noticed Nomi's gaze at the blaster rifle. "You can never be careful enough, Nomi. General," he turned to Leia, "I'm ready to takeoff." The general nodded.  
Poe donned his helmet, climbed the ladder to his fighter, and jumped into the cockpit. Before he closed the canopy he heard the general: "May the Force be with you, Commander."  
Then he started the converters and the X-wing rose on his repulsors, to ascend a little later into D'Qar's atmosphere.  
If everything went according to plan, it would not be long before he returned with the map Leia had longed for.

Leia said goodbye to her friends and walked to the command center while they went to their X-wings.  
They had been working on their fighters for quite a while, and were smeared with oil, when Tasherit came to the landing pad. Their daughter couldn't suppress a grin. "Why not let the mechanics maintain your X-wings?"  
Dash shook his head. "I don't permit a mechanic at my X-wing. My life depends on everything working properly. I don't want to become space dust because of a sudden malfunction of the laser cannons. I'd rather do everything myself, my little one."  
Tasherit laughed. "For you I will probably always remain the little one, Papa."  
Her father caressed her right cheek, leaving a small oil trail. Tasherit tried to wipe away the oil with her hand and only made it worse. She grinned. "Now I'll have to wash myself again before I meet Jaden."  
Tasherit was about to leave when her father stopped her. "Is that something serious with the young Katarn?"  
His daughter shrugged. "I don't know, Papa. He's nice and I like him being around." Then she hurried to the pilots barracks.

Dash looked after his daughter and turned to his wife, who was still working on her X-wing. "So if you ask me, our daughter loves the young man, she just doesn't want to admit it."  
The Jedi looked up briefly from her work and nodded. "You could be right. Just wait and see. Tasherit takes time to admit her feelings and we should give her the time. She comes in this respect probably rather after you than me."


	39. D'Qar

Two standard days later Nomi and Dash were called to Admiral Ackbar. The old Admiral approached them as soon when they had entered the command center. "Please follow me, Commander Darklighter, Major Rendar."  
He left the command center, followed by the Jedi and her husband, and went to a small barrack, a few meters away. When he opened the door, they saw four simulators. Admiral Ackbar pointed to the devices and said: "As I know, you are familiar with simulators. I would therefore ask you to monitor the training of our pilots. At least until Commander Dameron returns from his mission to Jakku. This should be the case in three standard days."  
Dash nodded. "As you wish, Admiral."  
Ackbar turned to leave. "I'll send you the first pilots for training."

Nomi laughed when the old Mon Calamari had left them and looked at her husband. "Didn't you say that you can monitor the simulator training of the Resistance? Well, you can do that extensively now." She stood on tiptoe and gave her husband a kiss. Suddenly they heard someone clearing the throat and Jess Pava stood before them.  
"I'm reluctant to disturb you, but Admiral Ackbar has ordered me to take part in the simulator training."  
A little later, Snap, Tarik and Corran arrived.  
"Well, if everyone is here now, we can start training," Dash said.  
The pilots climbed into the simulators and as soon as they sat, Dash activated the program.  
When Jess Pava saw the title of the simulation, she could not resist a sarcastic remark: "Are we practicing now for future battles or do we have a history lesson? I adore the pilots of the Galactic Civil War, but I don't have to repeat their battles in the simulator."  
Dash responded: "Even from the past you can learn, Jess. The Battle of Endor shows faults and weaknesses of the opponent, but also our own. I'm curious if you'd all survived the battle."  
Tarik laughed his twittering laugh, because he had fought in this battle.  
"And now stop the chatting. Please concentrate."

The simulator program ran and Dash could hear over the com the pilots cursing.  
"Damn, there are too many of them!"  
"Sithspawn, I'm hit!"  
"I can't shake him!"  
Only Tarik's voice wasn't heard. With calm, he completed his training.  
Finally, the program ended and the pilots left the simulators.

Dash couldn't suppress a grin when he saw the sweaty faces. He looked at his computer display. "Hem, well, how shall I put it - at a real battle Jess would be dead now. Snap, Corran and Tarik have shown excellent performances despite a few minor problems. But I think you can do better. We meet tomorrow at the same time."

When the pilots had left, Nomi looked at her husband. "Weren't you a little too strict with the young woman?"  
Dash shook his head. "She is good, even very good. But she took the simulation too lightly. I have to break her of this habit, Nomi. Whoever is sloppy here, could be also sloppy in combat. That might her and her comrades, who rely on her, cost their lives."  
Every day the pilots of the two base squadrons came to the simulator training. And as time went on, they were getting better and better. Even Jess Pava now took the training seriously, although more often historical battles have been programmed. Dash and Nomi were very pleased with their comrades.

Dash looked at his wife when the last pilots of the day had left the barrack. "Shouldn't Poe return from his mission today?"  
The Jedi nodded. "Yes, if I remember right, Admiral Ackbar mentioned it when he asked us to take over the simulator training."  
The former mercenary went to the barrack door after he switched off the simulators. "I just hope that nothing happened to the kid. It would be a pity."


	40. D'Qar

Ten standard days later Poe Dameron came back to the base. After reporting to General Organa about the outcome of his mission, he went to Nomi's and Dash's barrack.

When Nomi opened the door when he had knocked, she was startled. Dameron had a wound under his right eye, a bloody lower lip, dark circles under his eyes, and clotted blood on his left temple. He really didn't look good and Nomi felt that he was not doing well either.  
"Can I speak with you, Nomi?"  
The Jedi stepped aside. "Of course. Come in, Poe."  
The Commander went slowly to the table and sat on one of the folding chairs in front of the table, groaning of pain. When Nomi had also sat down, he began to speak: "I've already reported General Organa, but I would also like to talk to you about my mission to Jakku."  
He paused to collect himself. "The mission failed, Nomi. When I received the data store from Lor San Tekka which you had given him on behalf of Master Skywalker, First Order troop carriers suddenly landed near the village. The stormtroopers attacked immediately and destroyed the engine of my X-wing. The data store I've given BB-8 for safe-keeping and sent it far away, so that it doesn't fall into the hands of the First Order. Then I grabbed my blaster rifle and went for cover nearby. I shot at the stormtroopers and killed some, but it was no use.  
The villagers were round-up at the evaporator cistern.  
Finally, a shuttle landed from which a black-clad, masked man stepped out. The troopers hauled Lor San Tekka before him. The old man said something to the masked man, which I could not understand because of the distance.  
Suddenly the man activated a lightsaber and killed Lor San Tekka. And then I did a great stupidity, Nomi. I broke cover and fired at the killer. You won't believe it, the shot stopped in mid-air and I couldn't move.  
Then came two troopers, who dragged me to their leader. They dashed me before him to the ground and he knelt down in front of me. He knew about the map and let them search me. When they found nothing, they took me to a troop transport. I was just on the access ramp when the order was given to kill all villagers. Why did they do this, Nomi?"

The Jedi looked at Poe in horror. The First Order was apparently just as cruel as once the Empire.  
Dameron continued with his report: " They brought me to the detention block aboard a star destroyer. With my hands still shackled, they threw me into a cell. I regretted to not being able to swallow the poison capsule, Nomi.  
A little later the cell door opened and two stormtroopers came in. One of them brutally yanked me up at my tied hands. They drove me through a long passage. When I slowed down, I got a blow in the knee pit with the blaster rifle, which caused me to stumble. Again they brutally yanked me up at my tied hands. I guessed that what was laying ahead of me would be much worse." Poe interrupted his narrative again. "Do you have anything to drink, Nomi? My throat is quite dry."

The Jedi took a Corellian brandy and poured a glass for Dameron. "That will do you good, I think."  
Dameron looked grateful at her and took a sip before he continued talking. "When we finally arrived at the destination, the stormtroopers pushed me into a room that was dominated by a strange looking apparatus. One of the stormtroopers untied my handcuffs and together they dragged me, despite my desperate resistance, onto the apparatus and strapped me in. Then they left me alone and closed the door behind them.  
When the door opened again, a man dressed in an officer's uniform, entered the room. Behind him floated an Imperial interrogation droid. I'll spare you the details of the torture, Nomi. The officer asked again and again for the map. And with every time the pain he inflicted on me grew stronger. Finally, I must have lost consciousness because I woke up in the arrest cell. My head ached terribly and I tasted blood in my mouth. When I raised my bound hands and swept my face, I felt a wound under my right eye. Soon I had lost track of time, and I no longer knew how often they had brought me out of my cell and tortured me."

Again he interrupted his narrative to drink a sip of brandy. "Then they had not even bothered to take me back to the cell. They had simply left me in the torture chair, in a half-lying position. I felt blood running down the left side of my face.  
When the door of the room opened, I expected to see one of my well-known tormentors. But there was another who entered the room. It was the black-clad and masked man who had been in command of the attack on the village at the Kelvin Ridge.  
He approached and asked as if to mock me whether I was comfortable. It seemed that he knew exactly who I am. Then he said: 'I'm impressed. No one has been able to get out of you, what you did with the map.'  
I didn't want to show any weakness despite my pain, Nomi, and replied: 'Maybe you rethink the technique.'  
Suddenly the black-clad man raised his hand and I felt an eerie pressure when my head was pushed back. 'Where is it?'  
I could hardly swallow through the overstretched neck and struggled painfully for breath. Desperately I struggled against it. Then the pressure in my throat finally ceased. But suddenly I felt something and almost throw up. Something, no someone, had penetrated my mind. This tentative search with invisible fingers in my brain made me almost mad, Nomi and I screamed in my agony. Before I fully lost consciousness, I heard my tormentor say to a red-haired officer that he now knew where the map is. They now had no reason to leave me alive."

The Jedi looked with pity on Poe, who took another sip of brandy. When he put down his glass again, she took his hand. "You have not committed any conscious betrayal, Poe. What has been done to you can only be done by someone who can use the Force. I've already thought that this masked man is Force-sensitive when you told me about the shot hold in mid-air and your inability to move. This man must be strong in the Force if he can manage both at the same time."

Dameron looked at her incredulously and continued with his story. "When I awoke from my deep swoon, a stormtrooper stood guard in the room. A second stormtrooper came and said: 'Ren wants the prisoner.'  
The stormtrooper released me from the apparatus, shackled my hands and drove me out of the room. I was prepared to die soon and I've only regretted that it wouldn't be in combat."

The name Ren made Nomi sit up, but she didn't interrupt Poe. It was now clear to her who was the man who had Dameron in his grip. However, she didn't let it show and said instead: "Now that you're sitting here with me at the table, your escape must have been successful."

Poe nodded and took another sip of brandy. "I've already settled my affairs, because I was sure that the trooper would bring me to my execution. But then everything turned out differently. He pushed me into a side passage and said that he wants to save me. I could hardly believe it. The trooper wanted to desert and take me with him. He was in need of a pilot and asked me if I could fly a TIE. I answered him that I can fly anything, Nomi. He took me to the hangar, where we actually climbed unhindered into a TIE, after he had freed me from my shackles. Our escape had almost failed because the TIE was still anchored, but somehow we managed to get away. Before we flew out of the hangar bay, we destroyed all TIEs and the hangar control bridge with the laser cannons."  
He interrupted his narrative, emptied his glass, and handed it to Nomi. "Could I have another glass of brandy?"  
The Jedi refilled the glass and gave it Dameron. Nomi felt that the alcohol did Poe good and took a little of his physical and emotional suffering. She knew what sort of traces the grasp with the Force in a mind left behind on the soul, for she too had had to make this experience many years ago.

After another sip of brandy, the Commander continued with his narration. "The TIEs were no longer a problem, but there were still the laser batteries and the rocket launchers of the Star Destroyer. I told the trooper how to use the TIE's lasers cannons. When I asked him about his name, he told me only a letter-number combination: FN-2187. The poor guy had no other name. That was too long for me and I asked him if he agree to be called Finn. From his reply I clearly heard his joy that he was no longer just a number.  
We had just destroyed the laser batteries when the rocket launchers started to fire. I eschewed the incoming rockets while Finn fired at them. Then it happened. Finn lost concentration when I told him we had to go back to Jakku and why. A rocket hit us, tore one of the wings apart, and we rushed uncontrollably toward the planet. I activated the ejection seat and left the crashing landing TIE when we had reached the appropriate height to do so. Through the impact on the planet's surface, I lost consciousness. When I woke up, neither Finn nor the TIE could be seen.  
I beat my way to a village and finally got back to the base." Poe winced when he grabs again the glass filled with brandy. "I should better go to Dr. Kalonia, Nomi. Maybe I broke a few ribs at the crash. It hurts badly."

The Jedi nodded. "Don't forget to tell her that you had two shots Corellian brandy. Didn't you actually look for BB-8?"  
Dameron shook his head. "No, there were too many First Order troops on Jakku and I thought its droids tracking system was activated. Unfortunately, they've forgotten to activate it before our mission, as I learned from the General. Everything has gone wrong, which could go wrong, Nomi. The General was not pleased when I told her about my failure."  
Dameron finished his drink and winced in pain when he stood up. When the Jedi wanted to help him, he waved her off. "I need no help, Nomi."  
He went slowly to the door and turned again. "Thank you for listening to me and thank you for the brandy. Both have done good to me, Nomi."  
Then he left the barrack to go to Dr. Kalonia.

When Dash came home from monitoring the simulator training, he saw a thoughtful Nomi sitting at the table. Before her was still standing the bottle with Corellian brandy.  
He looked back and forth between the bottle and his wife. "You're not about to drink, honey?"  
His wife looked up and shook her head. "Poe is back on the base, Dash."  
Dash sat down to Nomi. "Ah, and you both have drunk on his successful mission."  
"The mission has failed, Dash. Lor San Tekka was killed by Kylo Ren. All the villagers are dead and Poe was captured. Previously he could give his droid the data store, but we do not know where the droid is now. Dameron was tortured and Kylo Ren has entered his mind and now knows that BB-8 carries the map inside it. Together with a deserting stormtrooper, Poe finally managed to escape."  
Dash looked at her aghast. "Damn crap, it could not have been worse for the kid."  
His wife nodded. "You should have seen him, the interrogators of the First Order have done their job."  
Dash muttered: "If the First Order is as good in torture as the Imps in the Civil War, I can imagine what Poe had to go through and what he now looks like." He sighed as he remembered how he had been tortured by Ysanne Isard and had thus lost his eyesight. It was only because of the help of his wife, who used the Kaiburr crystal and the Force, that he could see again. But then he pushed these murky thoughts aside. "Somehow I knew that the kid would get in trouble some day. The general won't be pleased."  
"It can't be helped, Dash. Let's hope that BB-8 doesn't fall into the hands of the First Order."  
Her husband nodded and replied, "That would be a disaster for the Resistance, if not for the entire galaxy."


	41. D'Qar

After a while Poe Dameron's broken ribs were healed. Only a small scar under the right eye and a discoloration on the left temple still reminded of what he had suffered during his imprisonment on the First Order Star Destroyer. Whether and how far his mental wounds had healed would be shown.

Dash met him on the landing pad, when Poe examined his new X-wing. The commander stroked lovingly the wings of the fighter, which was painted black with orange stripes.  
"Isn't it a beauty, Dash? I can't wait to fly." He grinned. "From now on, you can call me Black Leader."  
Dash walked around the fighter, examining it from all sides. "Yes, the fighter is truly exceptional, Poe. However, I fear that you will be the target when the First Order comes to know that you are flying this X-wing. Nomi told me what you and Finn had destroyed on your escape."  
"Yes, he was pretty good with the laser cannons. I wonder what happened to him. I hope he survived the crash and brought as much distance as possible between himself and the First Order, Dash. Have you ever flown a TIE? Wow, this fighter moved really fast."  
The former mercenary shook his head while Poe continued: "Such a TIE is almost as maneuverable as an X-wing. I now know what such a fighter can and what he can't. We could use that knowledge in combat."  
Dameron's eyes were shining. He was fully in his element again. "By the way, I've looked at the simulators that General Organa has brought. You have already spent a few hours in there."  
Dash laughed. "For Jess's taste probably a couple of hours too much. It seems she doesn't like the simulator."  
Poe laughed as well. "I am already curious how the simulator training affects our performance in combat."  
Dash became serious. "I'm afraid we will all too soon have to prove our skills at the control stick and the laser cannons. The First Order will not rest until we have destroyed them or they have destroyed us."  
Poe declined. "Oh come on, what would make them a threat to us?"  
"I don't know, I've a bad feeling about this."

It showed soon that the First Order was keeping on and on.  
Tasherit had left a few standard days ago for a mission when Snap Wexley burst in the barrack. Nomi looked up from her data pad. Somehow Snap's vehement demeanor recalled her to Wedge Antilles, who had always burst into her quarters without knocking. "We shall come immediately to Poe at the landing pad. I already met Dash on the way. He should already be there."  
After Snap had disappeared in the direction of the landing pad, Nomi donned her pilot gear and left the barrack to go likewise to the landing pad of the Resistance base.

When the Jedi arrived, all pilots of the two squadrons were already assembled. Poe was leaning casually against his new X-Wing and looked around.  
"Now that we are complete, I can tell you what it's about. Snap has discovered on a recon mission activities of the First Order at Kuat. We should rap them over the knuckles. Ok, Blues and Reds, man your fighters and may the Force be with us."

The pilots jumped into their X-wings and made them ready for takeoff. One fighter after another ascended into orbit over D'Qar. When they had left the gravitational shadow of the planet behind, Dameron gave the order to jump into hyperspace.


	42. Kuat

The X-wings of the Resistance returned to real space near Kuat. They slowly approached the planet, which was famous for its shipyards.

Dameron looked at his display on which ran data in an ongoing stream. Nomi heard Poe's voice over the com: "Here Black Leader. So far I can't see anything. Maybe Snap was wrong. Wait, there's actually something. On 0.35 - TIEs! S-foils in attack position! Stay sharp! Fire at will. We'll get company soon!  
Dameron directed his X-Wing at maximum speed to the enemy and fired. The first TIE burst under the commander's laser shelling.  
The Jedi heard Dash's voice: "Splendid shot, Black Leader." At the same time, she saw how Dash turned his X-wing to escape the shelling by a TIE which was behind him. He then raced straight for the enemy fighter, pounding the TIE with the fire of his laser cannons. A brief blaze and only debris of the TIE drifted through the orbit.  
Nomi breathed a sigh of relief. Even before she saw the signal on the display, she felt danger.  
Instinctively, she jerked her fighter and made a looping. The laser beams of the TIE missed her fighter only by a whisker. That was close. The targeting computer gave a short signal and the Jedi pushed the fire button. Another TIE was destroyed.  
She heard Jess Pava's voice: "How many more are coming, Leader?"  
Nomi saw how Jess was firing on a TIE, which was spinning with destroyed wings shortly thereafter.

"I can't shake him!"  
"I'll be right there, Red 8."  
Dash put his fighter in front of the X-wing of Red Squadron which was in distress.  
"Red 8, now!"  
At the same moment Red 8 dipped his fighter down, Dash fired on the TIE which was flying behind it and ruptured the TIE's cockpit.  
"Thank you, Blue 11!"  
"You're welcome, Red 8. I can't allow that they vaporize my daughter's boyfriend."

Nomi was glad that Dash had practiced this maneuver with the pilots. She allowed herself a brief smile, to then fully concentrate on the ongoing combat. She reached out with the Force and felt the minds of the enemy pilots. The Jedi felt that some of them begun to panic. That was good, because who panicked, tended to make mistakes. Deadly mistakes. Probably these pilots were still inexperienced and in their first combat.

So far, the Resistance hadn't lost any fighter. Nomi fervently hoped that it would stay that way. During the simulator training, she had become acquainted with her pilot comrades and get to appreciate each one of them.  
Suddenly she heard Snap's voice: "Blue 3, you've a TIE behind you."  
"I can't see it, Snap!"  
"Wait, I'll get it, Testor!"  
A brief blaze and the TIE trundled helplessly in orbit.  
"Thank you, Snap!"  
"No problem, Testor!"

Finally, there were only two TIEs left, which veered and were heading at maximum speed towards the planet, when Nomi again heard the voice of Dameron over com.  
"Here Black Leader. Let those two go. They should be able to report to the First Order that the Resistance is vigilant as far as their activities are concerned. I just wonder what they wanted here. As soon as you leave the planet's gravitational shadow, jump into hyperspace. Let's go home!"

Gradually, the fighters of the Resistance jumped into hyperspace and the orbit of Kuat was as calm as ever. Only the drifting debris of destroyed TIEs testified that there had been a battle a few standard minutes before.


	43. D'Qar

After the skirmish with the First Order at Kuat some time had passed.  
Nomi wanted to start with her sons to the clearing in order to train with the lightsabers, when Poe Dameron approached them excitedly. "We finally know where BB-8 is. It was spotted on Takodana. The General flies there personally. I think we Blues should be in on it. There are certainly also spies of the First Order. Once our informant saw BB-8, then them too. We'll leave tomorrow at 0800."

He looked questioningly at Nomi and her sons. "Are you on the way to your lightsaber training?"  
Corran nodded.  
"May I watch you? Since my childhood I've been fascinated by the Jedi."  
Nomi looked quizzically at her sons.  
"Of course you can come and watch, Poe," answered Dash Jr.

Together they went to the forest clearing, which was already shrouded in total darkness.  
The commander sat down under a tree while Nomi and her sons retrieved the lightsabers from their satchels and backpacks. Together, the Jedi sat down on the ground and began to meditation. All four were breathing calmly and evenly, with closed eyes. The deep peace emanated from the Jedi was almost palpable. Nomi smiled and suddenly her sons jumped up and ignited their lightsabers as if there had been a for Poe inaudible command.  
Calm and powerful, the young men went through the various phases of lightsaber combat.  
The clearing was now dimly lit by the glow of the lightsaber blades. Poe Dameron watched, fascinated, when the mother of the triplets also jumped up and quickly activated her lightsaber.  
With a hiss, the green blade arose from the hilt which the Jedi held firmly in her hands. She, too, went through the various phases of lightsaber combat. Unlike her sons she kept her eyes closed. Her chest lifted and lowered evenly, while she calmly breathed. You could almost think she was still meditating. Dameron followed each of her movements and he held his breath when she suddenly attacked her eldest son. Dash Jr. parried his mother's attack with ease and Nomi deactivated her lightsaber. Satisfied, the Jedi looked up at her tall son and smiled. "You see, Dash, your right arm reacts better and better."  
Her son nodded and ran his left hand over the prosthesis. "Yes, Mama, and it no longer feels so strange. I slowly get used to it."

His younger brothers continued with their exercises. In the meantime his younger brothers continued with their exercises. Corran wielded his double-bladed lightsaber at such a high speed that only a yellow blur could be seen from the blades.  
Biggs kept a respectful distance to his brother, who was completely absorbed in his exercises.  
The second born of the triplets deactivated his green lightsaber and joined his mother and his older brother. Together, they watched how Corran handled the double-bladed lightsaber. He was the most gifted fighter among the brothers and Nomi was happy that he slowly found himself again after losing Sheila. The Force flowed calmly between her son and his weapon.  
Then he also deactivated his lightsaber and went to his mother and his brothers. The clearing was again shrouded in complete darkness.  
Poe Dameron activated a glow rod and went to the small group. "Thank you for letting me watch. But now we should go into our quarters and sleep, so that we are fit for the flight to Takodana tomorrow."

The next morning at 0800, all pilots of Blue Squadron gathered on the base's landing pad.  
Poe Dameron gave them final instructions before they set off for Takodana together with the General's transport ship.


	44. Takodana

The X-wings of Blue Squadron and the transporter of the Resistance had almost reached Takodana, when Nomi suddenly got a pounding headache. At the same time she heard the screaming from thousands of voices which suddenly fell silent. She immediately realized that something terrible had happened. She wondered whether her sons had felt the same like her.  
In hyperspace communication via com wasn't possible, so the Jedi called her sons in the Force. All three confirmed to her that they had had the same feelings and pain like her mother.

Shortly thereafter, they fell back into real space near Takodana and saw First Order TIEs and troop carriers approaching the planet. A little later they heard Poe's voice over com: "It reeks for trouble, guys. We fly to Maz Kanata's castle. Stay below their scanners when we make the approach. Fire at will. Let's show to the First Order that the Resistance is not to be trifled with."

When the X-wings entered the atmosphere of Takodana, the pilots saw beneath them the great lake where Maz Kanata's castle lay. The fighters almost touched the surface of the water, and the spray splattered as they flew towards the castle at high speed. Around the castle circled TIEs, destroying bit for bit the building which had been standing there for thousands of years, with their laser cannons.  
"We go in, Blues!"  
As they approached, they saw that ground troops had also been deployed. Again Poe's voice via com: "Blue 10, 11 and 12, engage the ground troops!"  
All three pilots answered nearly in unison: "Copy, Black Leader!"  
Corran, Dash and Nomi, for they were the three pilots, were heading for a wall behind which several Stormtroopers stood. When they had come within firing range, they fired. The wall exploded literally and swept the stormtroopers standing behind it, to their deaths.  
Immediately afterwards they pulled up their fighters and fired on more stormtroopers.

Poe and the other pilots took on the TIEs which circled around the castle. After Dash had killed another trooper with his laser cannons, he shortly glanced up to the sky.  
There, he saw Poe's black X-wing carrying out daring maneuvers, during which he shot down several TIEs. The former mercenary smiled, because it was the maneuvers that he had taught the young commander.

Among the castle's debris now lay countless dead stormtroopers, when a black shuttle followed by the surviving TIEs launched and quickly ascended into Takodana's atmosphere.

The X-wings of the Resistance secured the air space, when the transporter of the general landed. As they circled over the scene of destruction, the pilots heard Dameron's voice via com: "Well done, Blues. The general will be pleased with us."

After some time, they got the command to return to D'Qar and the information that it was actually succeeded to recover BB-8 and the map contained in it. The astromech would make the journey to the Resistance base in the general's transporter.


	45. D'Qar

The X-wings, the Millennium Falcon and the transporter with the precious cargo landed safely on D'Qar.

When they landed, the X-Wing pilots jumped out of their fighters. Poe Dameron just took off his helmet when BB-8 rolled towards him. Poe happily greeted his faithful astromech. Nomi looked astonished at a young, dark-skinned man who followed the droid and wore Poe Dameron's leather jacket.  
The two men seemed to know each other, hugged each other, and talked excitedly.

Meanwhile, another one left the transporter. The Jedi didn't believe her eyes could be trusted when she saw a stormtrooper standing on the access ramp and holding the helmet casually under her arm. The Jedi could hardly believe her eyes when she saw a stormtrooper standing on the access ramp who was holding the helmet casually under her arm.  
It was her daughter Tasherit, to whom Jaden immediately approached to embrace and kiss her. It was her daughter Tasherit, to which Jaden immediately approached to embrace and kiss her. He tenderly stroked his girlfriend's cheek and spoke to her. Hand in hand they went to the barracks of the pilots.

Behind the two the general and Han Solo came out of the transporter. Nomi hadn't seen Han for a long time and was a little startled at the sight. There was not much left of the Galactic Civil War hero. He had grown old and the Jedi felt the same grief in him as by her friend Leia. The loss of their only son seemed to weigh heavily on his shoulders. It was obvious that the Corellian felt somehow guilty for what had happened to their son. He hardly looked at his wife and walked with her to the command center.

Nomi followed them slowly, because she also wanted to find out in which part of the galaxy Luke Skywalker was hiding. But the map that had cost so many lives on Jakku, was not complete. The Jedi could feel the disappointment of those present almost physically. It couldn't be that everything had been in vain. Poe Dameron spoke to the General and Leia looked at the young, dark-skinned man standing next to the commander.

In the afternoon the general came to Nomi's barrack. Leia looked bad. She sat down at the small table and the Jedi placed a cup of blum fruit tea in front of her.  
"How could I think that I would find Luke, Nomi?" She sighed. "Han saw our son on Takodana. He serves the First Order."  
Tears ran down her face. "Snoke has seduced him to the dark side." Leia hid her face in her hands, as if she, who was always so strong, were ashamed of her tears. "I want my son back.  
There is still good in him, Nomi." Leia drank a little of the hot tea. "The man who had helped Commander Dameron to escape from the First Order Star Destroyer, Finn, told us of a battle station of the First Order named Starkiller Base. Through this, the Hosnian system was destroyed. Finn was able to give us the coordinates of the base and I have Temmin Wexley sent there as a scout."  
Nomi sighed and thought to herself: 'Not again a Death Star. How many of those things we still need to destroy? '  
She said loudly: "How is Han?"  
Leia shrugged. "Not good, Nomi. He suffers just like me. Han has always gone out of my way and now that he's here, he avoids it with me longer than necessary to be together. It's so painful, Nomi. Despite what has happened, I still love him."  
The Jedi took the hand of her friend. "If your son comes back to you, everything will be fine again."  
Leia nodded. "Yes, I hope so, Nomi."  
The general soon took leave of the Jedi and left the barrack.


	46. D'Qar

Snap Wexley had returned from his reconnaissance flight and brought the data immediately to the High Command of the Resistance.

A little later, all the pilots and officers of the Resistance gathered in the command center.  
Snap had actually found the Starkiller Base. What they saw now was worse than Nomi and Dash had expected. A whole planet had been made from the First Order into a super weapon.  
The Starkiller Base was gigantic.  
Compared to it, the two Death Stars of the Empire had been dwarfs.  
Nomi listened intently when Admiral Statura spoke of the construction of the battle station and its mode of action.  
Han Solo then took the whole thing in a nutshell: "That thing's got to have somewhere a weak point."  
Finn pointed to a point in the schematic hologram of the base. To attack this weak point, the shield around the Starkiller Base had to be deactivated. Han said he would do this together with Finn and Chewbacca. After the deactivation of the shield the fighters would attack.

After the briefing, Nomi saw Han and Leia talking to each other. They both looked sad.  
A little later, all pilots ran to their fighters. Nomi saw Han and Leia say good-bye to each other. It wouldn't be easy to land the Millennium Falcon unnoticed on the planet. But Nomi was confident that Han would make it.

She climbed into her fighter and was greeted by Fuzzy with a veritable flood of beeping sounds. After the Jedi had read the translation on the display, she answered: "Yes, we're flying into combat again, Fuzzy."  
Via com she heard the excited chatter of the other pilots. It was like every time before each battle, and each time she wondered if she would hear all the voices again after the battle.  
Nomi shook her head. She was sure that not all would survive. Her greatest fear, however, was to lose her husband or one of her children.

At Poe Dameron's command, they ascend in D'Qar's orbit to gather at the jump point. A few minutes later they all jumped into hyperspace.


	47. Starkiller Base

During their flight through hyperspace the pilots heard Poe's voice via com: "Red squad, Blue squad, take my lead. The pilots acknowledged Poe's order and went back to sub-light. When they dropped out of hyperspace they saw in front of them the gigantic Starkiller Base.

Nomi heard Poe's orders and the pilots' responses over the battle frequency. They headed for the base and there for the oscillator structure. With Poe's black X-wing in the lead they began to dive bomb the oscillator. There was no defensive fire so far, but Nomi knew too well that this would begin soon and that they would send TIEs when those at the base were aware what's going on.  
Again was Poe's voice to hear. "Almost in range! Hit the target dead center, as many runs as we can get!"  
Snap answered: "Approaching target."  
Nomi and her family followed the others and begun their strafing runs. They caused large explosions on top of the oscillator.  
Poe had satisfaction in his voice, when he saw this and gave a new order: "Let's light it up!"  
He dive bombed the oscillator, hitting it dead center in quick succession.  
Nomi heard Lieutenant Bastian: "Direct hit."  
But then was Ello Asty's response to hear: "But no damage!"  
"Yeah, we gotta keep hitting it! Another bombing run! Remember, when that sun is gone, that weapon will be ready to fire! But as long as there's light, we got a chance."  
It were Poe's words which gave the pilots another motivational push.  
And then they came, dozens of TIEs. Again Poe's voice: "Guys, we got a lot of company!"

Despite the oncoming TIEs the X-wings came back for a new attack run.  
"Blue 8! Watch out! There's one behind you!"  
Blue 8 dived, turned, came up behind the attacking TIE and fired. One enemy less to worry about.  
The X-wings were dog fighting with the TIEs. More and more TIEs fell victim to the Resistance X-wings. Nomi fired at an oncoming TIE and it exploded. Minutes later she saw Poe's fighter nearly colliding with an enemy fighter. Nomi sighed a breath of relief when she saw Poe's maneuver to avoid the collision.  
The Jedi heard Snap. "I got one behind me. See it?"  
"Yeah, I'm on it!" Was Jess Pava's answer before she fired on the pursuing TIE.

And then the ground defensive fire begun. A heavy cannon emplacement launched a missile that shredded an X-wing fighter.  
Jess cried out. "Furillo's been hit!"  
For him Snap's warning came too late. "Watch out for ground fire!"  
The Resistance pilots needed all their skills to dodge and blast enemy fighters and oncoming missiles as well. It was a deadly dance.  
Suddenly Nomi felt something dark situated in the oscillator. She tried to shake the feeling but it still lingered in the Force. But she had to concentrate on the task at hand. There was no time to ponder what could be the meaning of the darkness she had felt.

The X-wing fighters were still trying to find an opening in the structure. When she was dodging and firing, Nomi heard her comrades' voices.  
"We just lost R-1!"  
"We're overwhelmed! What do we do? It isn't working!" There was despair in Jess Pava's voice.

The Jedi saw the oscillator's structure shaken by explosions from the inside and she wasn't the only one who saw it, then she heard Yolo Ziff's voice over com.  
"Black Leader, there's a brand new hole in this oscillator. Looks like our friends got in."  
But not only the oscillator was shaken. The Jedi felt darkness, conflict and pure hatred in the Force. She struggled to dampen the surge of those emotions which threatened to distract her.  
Then a new order from Poe: "Red Four! Red 6! Cover us!"  
Lieutenant Bastian and Ello Asty acknowledged the order. A few seconds later Poe gave his order for the other pilots: "Everybody else, hit the target hard! Give it everything you got!"  
Nomi dived together with the other pilots and blasted the oscillator.

Two X-wings including Poe's soared through the trench leading to the oscillator structure. While the other X-wings were flying their strafing runs. The Jedi heard Poe's voice again: "I need some help here! I need some help!"  
"I'm coming in!" Lieutenant Bastian's fighter came for aid.  
"Watch out!" But Jess' warning came too late.  
"I'm hit!", were Ello Asty's last words when his fighter was blasted to pieces.  
But there was no time for grieving when Poe said: "All teams - I'm going in! Pull up and cover me!"  
"Copy that, Black Leader! Good luck, Poe!", came Niv Lek's answer.  
The trailing X-wings peeled off as Poe's black fighter darted into the fiery breach.  
Nomi looked at the horizon and realized that the sun was almost gone.  
The Jedi saw Poe's X-wing weave through the breach and then were heavy explosions to hear when Poe fired one torpedo after the other. Shortly after he came out.  
The remaining X-wings, including Poe's, blasted the place and the structure begun to crater, deep underground.

Suddenly Nomi saw the Millennium Falcon ascend from the near forest. The remaining fighters followed the freighter, when Poe said: "All teams! I got eyes on them!"  
When the planet imploded, the spacecrafts ascended in the orbit.  
Poe said: "Our job's done here. Let's go home!"  
At the same time they made the jump to hyperspace.


	48. D'Qar

Nomi and her family had just landed their X-wings when they saw the Millennium Falcon land. The Jedi jumped out of her fighter when she saw Chewbacca leaving the YT-1300 freighter carrying an unconscious Finn. The medics immediately took care of the man.  
Dash embraced his wife and saw with relief his children jump out of their fighters. It was a victory for the Resistance, but it was a bittersweet victory. They had lost comrades during the battle.

Nomi was looking for Han, but instead of him a young, to her unknown girl stepped out.  
Leia was standing at the landing pad and the Jedi felt grieve in her. Something terrible must have happen. The girl and Leia moved to each other. Then the General took the girl's face in her hands. Shortly after Leia embraced the young girl and Nomi saw tears in both eyes. Slowly it dawned on the Jedi what happened. Han, Leia's husband must have died. Was this the darkness she had felt over Starkiller Base?

When Nomi entered the base's command center together with Dash they saw Chewie sitting in a corner. The Wookiee looked shaken. But there was no time for grieving. R2-D2 which stood since Luke's disappearance in a corner of the command center was suddenly awake.  
Together with Leia, Poe C-3PO, BB-8, the young woman and a handful other Resistance Officers stood Nomi in the command center, when R2 projected a hologram in the air.  
BB-8 begun to beep and Poe turned to him. "Yeah, all right, buddy, hold on."  
The Commander run over and removed the ancient data store that Lor San Tekka had given him from a base computer. He inserted it in BB-8, which then projected its map. BB-8 shrinked the map down to size and the two droids moved slightly and the two holograms united. BB-8's piece of the map perfectly fitted in R2-D2's.  
All were looking in amazement at the completed map.  
Leia put her hand on her heart and whispered: "Luke"  
Suddenly there was in the whole command center cheering and embraces.

In the middle of the night it knocked at the door from Nomi's and Dash's quarters. When Nomi opened the door the General stood there. On her face were traces of tears to be seen.  
"May I come in?"  
Nomi let her in. The Jedi felt still grieve and sorrow in her old friend. "What happened, Leia?"  
The General sighed and sat down at the table. "Han is dead, Nomi. I felt it when he died and Rey told me how he died."  
"Rey?"  
Leia looked at her. "Rey is the girl who came with Chewie and the wounded Finn on the base. All three had witnessed how Kylo Ren murdered Han."  
The Jedi paled. "Kylo Ren? Ben murdered his own father?"  
Her old friend nodded. "They've spoken together and suddenly our son activated his lightsaber. He stabbed out twice right in Han's chest." It was too much for Leia, she couldn't hold her tears any longer at bay. "It is my fault, Nomi. I asked Han to bring our son back. I thought he as his father would succeed where others have failed."  
Nomi took her friends hand. "You couldn't know what would happen, Leia. If it comes to guilt, then I'm also guilty. I told you that all will be good, when your son comes back to you. Therefore you've asked Han to bring him back."  
Leia shook her head. "No it was my decision to ask Han. It was my decision to send him to his death, Nomi."  
"This is crazy, Leia. Don't do this to yourself. You aren't guilty." Nomi looked straight in Leia's eyes. "It wasn't your fault."  
"Perhaps you're right. With the completed map we have finally a chance to find my brother.  
Rey will travel together with Chewie."  
The Jedi looked at her with astonishment. "Rey? Why her?"  
The General showed a faint smile. "Because she has Luke's lightsaber and she is Force sensitive, Nomi. Haven't you felt it?"  
Nomi shook her head. "It could be that I was too distracted."  
Leia stood up. "I hope that the map really shows Luke's hideout. It was good to speak with you. But it's late and we all should try to get some sleep."  
The General went to the door. "We see us tomorrow at the landing pad."

When Nomi came the next morning to the landing pad, Leia and Rey were already there. Rey turned to head to the Falcon. As Rey walked off, Nomi heard Leia call out to her: "Rey"  
Rey turned around.  
Leia looked friendly at the girl and said: "May the Force be with you."  
Rey smiled at the General and entered the Falcon. Shortly after the freighter ascended and the journey begun.

\- To be continued after Star Wars The Last Jedi -


	49. D'Qar

After the joy came the grief.  
Leia held a memorial for her murdered husband Han Solo.  
The Jedi Nomi Darklighter stood in the last row of the attendees when Dash Jr. approached her. He tapped her on the shoulder. “We should leave as fast as possible, Mama.”  
Nomi looked at him and frowned. “Why?”  
Her son rubbed his head. “Call it a bad feeling. The First Order will know soon where we are.”  
His mother looked around seeing some soldiers prepare for evacuation.  
“Maybe you’re right. Talk to your siblings and your father. We go after the funeral.”  
“Already done, but Corran wants to stay. He said he won’t run from the First Order.”  
His mother sighed. “I can’t force him to come with us. Your brother must do what he thinks is the right thing to do.”  
Dash Rendar came over to them and looked quizzically at his wife.   
“So you agree that we leave, my love?”  
Nomi nodded thoughtful while she looked up to her husband who towered over her like the eldest of the triplets. “Yes, we leave. We meet in 10 standard minutes at the landing pad.”  
Dash Jr. nodded and headed for his quarters to pack in haste. So did his younger brother Biggs.

“Do you think it is the right thing to do, Dash?”  
Biggs asked while packing his own belongings. He felt as it wasn’t right to leave when others stay to carry on fighting the First Order. “It is the right thing. We must spread our forces. To stay together… They could take us out with one strike. I don’t want this to happen. I’m glad that Tash and Jaden aren’t here. You know how stubborn our sister can be.”  
Biggs nodded with a wide grin.  
Corran entered their shared quarters and scowled when seeing his siblings pack. “So you really run away?”  
His elder brother turned and glared at him. “I told you why we leave.”  
“Yes, you told me, but I still don’t understand. Mama will never agree to abandon our comrades.”  
Dash Jr. shrugged. “Mama and Papa are packing just in this moment, Corran. Come with us, brother. We should stick together.”  
Corran shook his head. “They count on us and you simply leave? I stay and face with my comrades what’s coming.”  
Corran fumed and glared at his brothers. “You are cowards!”  
“Stop it, Corran,” Dash Jr. said with menace in his voice.  
“You’re cowards!” Corran repeated.  
Then he turned and stormed out of the quarters slamming the door shut behind him.  
His brothers looked after him after he left.  
“Let’s go, Biggs. I’m sure our parents are already waiting for us.”

After a few minutes they reached the landing pad where the Aquarius and the Outrider side by side stood.  
“Hurry! The whole base evacuates!” Dash beckoned his sons.  
Nomi was already aboard the Aquarius and made the preflight check. Her faithful astromech Fuzzy was stowed in the cargo hold since she didn’t want to leave him behind.

“Junior, you fly with your mother. Biggs, you come with me.”  
Dash headed for the Outrider followed by his son while his eldest hurried for the Aquarius.  
Shortly after they ascended in orbit and headed for the jump point.  
The moment when they made the jump to hyperspace, the First Order fleet exited hyperspace coming from another hyperspace lane.


	50. D'Qar

The preparations for the evacuation were in full swing when Lieutenant Connix saw the First Order fleet drop out of hyperspace.  
Corran looked at the sky and knew immediately that it was too late to bring everything aboard the transports and the few capitol ships the Resistance possesses. It was only enough time to bring the ships in orbit with the equipment and fuel already on board. He headed to his X-wing that would bring him to General Organa’s flagship the Admiral Raddus. The MC85 Star Cruiser formerly named Dawn of Tranquility and now renamed after the famous admiral who was killed in action over Scarif decades ago.

When he arrived on board he saw Poe Dameron jump out of his X-wing and run to the bridge followed by his faithful astromech BB-8. The young Jedi wondered what his commander was up to. Minutes later he should learn about Poe’s rakish plan.  
“You really want to take on the Dreadnought alone, Poe?” He asked Dameron after the ace pilot explained his plan.  
“Of course,” Poe answered him. “It’s risky but a skilled pilot can accomplish it, Corran. We must buy time and take most of the Dreadnought’s turbo lasers out before Cobalt Squad arrives.”  
“Then let me do it, Poe.”  
Dameron shook his head. “No, Corran, your mother would kill me if anything would happen to you.”  
“But…”  
Poe broke in on him: “But me no buts, Corran.”  
Then he turned to prepare for combat.  
Corran looked after him wondering if he would see Poe again or if the pilot would die trying to buy time for the fleeing Resistance fleet.

The Jedi went over to one of the viewports.  
A few minutes later he saw Poe’s X-wing head for the First Order fleet. A few clicks away he stopped and hovered in space. Corran frowned wondering what Poe might be up to. It seemed an eternity until the X-wing was set in motion again. With an extra boost of the newly installed experimental thrust accelerator pod, designed to give Black One even greater combat speed, Poe’s fighter headed for the Dreadnought and begun his strafing run on the turbo lasers. Corran held his breath when he saw TIEs launch and engage the lonely X-wing. Nevertheless Poe took out one turbo laser after the other. Finally there was only one left, but nothing happened.  
Corran cursed inwardly seeing this and having no idea what happened. He felt Poe’s emotions in the Force and it didn’t help him to keep calm. The Jedi’s nerves were on edge when the minutes ticked away before Poe was finally able to take the very last turbo laser cannon out.

Not too early then the MG-100 StarFortress bombers just arrived. Accompanied by fighters to protect them they made their attack run on the First Order fleet and the Dreadnought as their main target. But then everything went terribly wrong. The bombers were immediately under attack. They were too close together and when one of them was hit, the payload exploded and hit the adjacent bombers. It was an unstoppable chain reaction. The Jedi felt anxiety and despair from the attacking Resistance Forces members. It didn’t take long and there was only one bomber left. Corran slammed his fist against the viewport’s transparisteel. “Sithspawn!”  
The very last StarFortress hovered over the Dreadnought and nothing happened.

Corran felt the emotions of the only survivor on board. There was first despair but then despair changed to resolve and determination. Finally the bomb bay opened and the proton bombs hit their target. Corran sighed when he saw that it wasn’t only the Dreadnought going down in the inferno. The battle was over for now and the Resistance has paid a high death toll.  
The young Jedi turned away from the viewport and headed to the hangar bay just the moment Poe Dameron landed his X-wing.


	51. Hyperspace

After they made the jump to hyperspace, Nomi stared out of the cockpit’s viewport where the streaks of hyperspace rolled past.  
She thought that it would never happen again – to be on the run. Decades ago they had the Empire on their tail, now it was the First Order. The Jedi sighed.  
Dash Jr. cast a glance at his mother. He never saw her this way. “What is it, Mama?”  
Nomi tear her eyes away from the viewport and looked at her eldest. “It’s long ago when I was the last time on the run, Junior.”  
Dash Jr. winced inwardly when his mother called him Junior. He suppressed the urge to tell his mother that he is too old to still be called Junior by his parents. So he only shrugged “Since the academy’s devastation I’m somehow used to be on the run. It isn’t a new experience to me and my siblings, Mama.”  
He gave his mother a faint smile.  
“I thought it would never happen again after defeating the Empire,” the Jedi said silently.  
“But it happened! The New Republic was too weak. The treaty with the remnants of the Empire was a joke.” Dash Jr. slammed his fist on the console. “We disarm and them? They vanished somewhere in the Unknown Regions and came back to break our necks!”  
“It was a decision of the politicians I think. I don’t know for sure why they let the Imperials go. There wasn’t much information being at Dagobah.”  
Her son shrugged. “Perhaps it was a mistake of yours to leave Coruscant.”  
“You know all too well why we were forced to leave.”  
Dash Jr. raised an eyebrow. “The Emperor’s ghost, I remember, Mama. But now it seems his successors being far more dangerous than him. A whole planet transformed in a battle station.” He shook his head. “I wonder what will be next.”

“Outrider for Aquarius,” Dash Rendar hailed his wife and his eldest son.  
Nomi answered her husband’s call. “Outrider here’s Aquarius.”  
“How you’re doing? You’ve any idea where to go now?” Dash asked her.  
“Under the circumstances we’re doing fine, darling. We should go to the rendezvous point and wait there for the others from base. I’m sure they’ll come soon.” Nomi replied.  
“And what if they don’t come?” Dash asked her with concern in his voice.  
The Jedi sighed before she answered his question. “This is something I don’t want to think about at the moment. I can’t feel Corran in the Force and I hope that he’s only hiding his presence.”  
“You know our youngest, he’s smart. So I set the coordinates for the rendezvous point. I see you on the other side. Stay safe.” Dash cut the connection and turned to Biggs who was sitting on the copilot’s seat. “You heard your mother. Set course to the rendezvous point. I hope she’s right and we see the others there soon.”


	52. The Admiral Raddus

The remnants of the Resistance fleet were finally able to make the jump to hyperspace.

Corran was sitting in the Admiral Raddus’s galley. The young Jedi looked up from his Corellian ale when Poe Dameron sat down opposite of him and slammed his glass on the table so the liquid spilled.  
“You don’t look like someone who got a promotion, Poe,” Corran raised an eyebrow and looked at his commanding officer.  
“A Promotion?” Dameron fumed. “The general slapped me in front of all those gathered on the bridge and demoted me. She said it’s my fault we lost the whole bomber squadron. Can you imagine how embarrassing it was to me?”  
His friend put a hand on Poe’s arm to calm him down. Dameron shook his head. “No good deed goes unpunished.”  
“You can’t see it this way. Admit that it was a wrongheaded plan, my friend, born out of necessity when the First Order was suddenly at our gates.”  
Poe took a swig and shrugged. “It was a good plan, Corran. And we took out the Dreadnought. There would have been far more losses with the capitol ship operational.”  
The young Rendar nodded thoughtfully. “Perhaps you’re right.”  
Dameron took another swig and wiped the foam from his upper lip. “I am right about this. If your father would be here he would agree. He would have done the same.”  
Corran rolled his eyes. “My father; he’s grown old. There isn’t much left of the reckless, foolhardy mercenary.” He took a swig of his ale.  
Poe winked at the younger man. “Don’t underestimate your old man. It was him and your mother who showed me some of the maneuvers I fly in combat.”  
Corran laughed. “Are you kidding me, Poe?”  
“Why should I? It’s true, all of it.” The young captain leaned back at his chair and took another swig. “I hope that the jump gets us away from the First Order.”  
“I hope so too.” Corran frowned. “I still don’t understand why my siblings and parents abandoned the Resistance.”  
“They would have had their reasons, Corran. Don’t be angry with them. Look, they had the advantage to escape without a fight.”  
Corran looked angrily at Poe. “They are cowards, especially my brothers. Our parents are too old to carry on the fight. It was about time they leave. But Junior and Biggs are young and good warriors. I can’t understand them.”  
“They will still do their part. I’m pretty sure about this. Perhaps it was a wise decision to spread our forces.”  
“Our forces? Damn, Poe, they have only two battered freighters at their disposal.”  
“Battered freighters you say?” Dameron grinned widely. “You know very well that those battered freighters are heavily modified. And with your parents at the helm and your brothers at the laser cannons they can give the First Order a hard time. I bet that they will exactly do this.” Dameron finished his drink and stood up to leave. “We should use the time in hyperspace to rest, Corran. Who knows when we’ll have the next opportunity to sleep.”  
Corran finished his drink and stood up as well. “Maybe you’re right.” Then he left for the pilot’s ready room to take a nap.


	53. The Admiral Raddus

Corran found no sleep and left the pilot’s ready room when the Admiral Raddus dropped out of hyperspace. He just walked down the hallways to his own quarters when the siren begun to blare. He knew immediately that they were under attack. There was no time to think about who and why. His training as a fighter pilot clicked in and he hurried back to the hangar. On the way he saw Poe accompanied by his faithful astromech droid BB-8.  
When he almost reached the hangar there was an enormous explosion to be heard and he saw BB-8 and Poe Dameron went flying. The blast doors shut with a loud thump so the flames couldn’t encroach on the whole ship. The young Rendar blinked tears away he didn’t know if they were because of grief for the killed comrades or the biting fume of the fire hanging in the hallway. His comrades hadn’t even the chance to fly in combat.  
But there was no time for grieving. He looked out of a nearby viewport and saw First Order TIEs fly strafing runs. There was no way to hinder them. Corran clenched and unclenched his fists in impotent fury.

The vessel shuddered under the shelling. Corran wondered how long the shields would hold before they fail and they would be doomed. He hurried to the bridge to ask for orders now the whole fighters in the hangar were destroyed. The Jedi was almost there when he heard another explosion. When he reached the place where the bridge seconds before has been there were only chaos and a gaping hole behind the blast door. Corran’s heart fell seeing this. It was impossible that there were any survivors. General Organa, Admiral Ackbar, all those on duty at the bridge were gone in the blink of an eye. He swallowed hard and turned away.  
Should it really end here? He had no idea how they should carry on without the general’s inspiring spirit.

And then the miracle happened. The general managed to come back aboard out of the cold vacuum of space. It was a miracle for all the others except for Corran. He was pretty sure that the general used the Force. The Jedi wondered how, since his mother told him that Leia Organa always refused to train with her brother Luke Skywalker. Has she trained in secret?  
Corran realized slowly that the attack has ended as abrupt as it begun.

The Admiral Raddus was crippled but not inoperative. All functions were redirected to the ventral emergency bridge. From now on the command center was there. It was a command center that lacked a commander. General Organa was either in a deep coma or already dead. There were many rumors in the wind. Everybody wondered who would take over and lead the Resistance now. But they should learn soon about the general’s health status and the temporary leadership. Corran counted on Poe being their temporary leader after Commander D’Acy told them about General Organa’s medical condition. But the commander presented them instead of Poe Dameron Vice Admiral Holdo as their new leader. Not everyone applauded to the change in command since nobody at the Admiral Raddus really knew her. She transferred from the Ninka to take command over the Resistance’s flag ship and the whole Resistance. Corran watched Dameron from afar and could see the conflicting emotions mirrored on the captain’s face.  
When those gathered left the emergency bridge the Jedi saw Dameron approaching the vice admiral. He hoped that his friend wouldn’t make trouble for himself.


	54. Near the Unknown Regions

The Aquarius and the Outrider dropped out of hyperspace at the rendezvous point.  
“Nobody to be seen,” Dash Rendar said to Biggs who looked at the readouts.  
His son shrugged. “Maybe they’re only delayed, Papa. Look, there are Mama and Junior.”  
Dash smiled seeing his wife’s battered freighter floating along his YT-2400. He hailed the Aquarius: “Outrider to Aquarius, hello sweetheart.”  
Dash Jr. chuckled when he answered his father’s call. “Here isn’t sweetheart but your son, father. Everything’s alright over there?”  
“Of course,” his father’s answer came. “Where’s your mother?”  
“She laid down to rest after we fell back in real space. To be honest I’m a bit worried about her.”  
“Worried? Why? Your mother is stronger than you think, Junior.”  
“I think she is tired of being on the run. Mama mentioned that this happened to both of you during the Civil War. I hardly remember this time and she speaks seldom about it.”  
“As nearly all veterans of the war do. Those who are bragging about their heroics aren’t mostly the heroes as they see themselves, my son. Some of them didn’t even fire a shot. It’s a shame.”  
Dash Jr. looked thoughtful out of the viewport at the stars. Like their mother their father hasn’t told them much about what they have done during the war. And no one of them has dared to ask. Now they found themselves in the middle of a war. A war that seemed already lost. Too few resources, too little manpower and support with those who helped gone when Starkiller Base fired at the Hosnian System. And now the First Order showed up at D’Qar. The young Jedi sighed. Fighting for a lost cause wasn’t after his taste.

Biggs kept a close eye at the Outrider’s sensor readouts when the proximity alert blared. The monitor showed three dots marked as hostiles. “Great,” the young Jedi muttered under his breath. “Right what we need now. Father!”  
His father looked at the monitor. “They’re still out of range, Biggs. There’s no reason for haste.” Dash leaned back in his seat and commed the Aquarius. “Aquarius for Outrider. Three hostiles coming in.”  
“I see them, father,” came Dash Jr.’s response while the siren was to be heard in the background. “Time to wake, Mama, I think.”  
“There’s no need to wake me, Junior.” Nomi slumped in the pilot’s seat. “Shields are up?”  
“Of course,” answered her eldest son.  
The Civil War veteran studied the readouts and frowned. “One freighter and two escorts, marked as First Order. Easy prey if you ask me.” Nomi commed her husband: “Dash…”  
“Yes, sweetheart?”  
“You saw the readouts? What do you think? We take them on?”  
The former mercenary chuckled: “Of course, my love.” His fingers moved over the controls when he activated the Outrider’s weapons system. Nomi did the same aboard the Aquarius. Dash fired a shot across the bow and hailed the First Order freighter: “Unknown freighter you just entered Republic space. State your designation and cargo.”  
The answer was only statics. Dash hailed the First Order freighter again: “Unknown freighter answer or we shoot instead across your bow right through it.”  
Finally he heard a bored and arrogant voice answer: “Republic? There is no Republic. You are nothing else than pirates.”

The two escorting TIEs begun their approach full throttle. Dash switched over to the battle frequency.  
“Incoming hostiles, Nomi. Stay sharp, darling.”  
The Jedi’s fingers danced over the console, pushing buttons and pulling levers. “Junior, all power to the front shield.” Her son did as his mother told him. “They’re coming fast, Mama.”  
Nomi gritted her teeth and let her hands linger over the fire controls. Her son steered the Aquarius in the TIEs direction to take them head-on.  
His father onboard the Outrider kept a close eye at the hostile freighter. “Two dorsal laser cannons. That’s all what they have to fire at us. We should take them out fast.” Biggs looked at his old man, grinned and steered the YT-2400 towards the First Order vessel.  
“Keep the fighters at bay, Nomi.” “I’ll do my best,” his wife’s response came as she fires at the first enemy fighter. “I hate those shields they have,” she muttered under her breath.  
Dash Jr. turned round the ship and his mother fired again at the TIE. The TIE pilot at the yoke definitely knew his stuff and went in a steep dive. At the same time the second TIE came up behind the Aquarius and fired. Dash Jr. cursed when the freighter shuddered under the impact but the shield held. He pushed a button to transfer energy from the front shield to the aft shield.

Dash Rendar saw what happened. “Sithspawn! Seems they’re in trouble.” The skilled pilot turned the Outrider. “Fire at will, Biggs, don’t let them fry your mother and sibling.”  
“I’m on it, father,” his son answered and pushed the fire button when he saw the first TIE in the crosshairs. The TIE’s shields were already crippled by the hit his mother scored earlier and couldn’t absorb the blast. The enemy fighter exploded in a fireball. The young Jedi let out a cheer of triumph. Dash Rendar cast a glance at his son. “Splendid shot, Biggs. But don’t get cocky. One left.” He steered the Outrider towards the remaining enemy fighter.  
“Junior! We encircle it,” he said over comm. “Copy this, father,” his eldest’s response came. “Mama, you heard Papa.” Dash Jr. flew a corkscrew maneuver and set the Aquarius behind the TIE while the Outrider came frontal up on it. Nomi and her husband fired simultaneously.  
The laser beams pierced right through the TIE’s cockpit since the combined firepower overstressed the shields and the pilot had a quick death when his cockpit exploded.

“Now we’ll see if the First Order guy’s still farouche,” Dash muttered under his breath and hailed again the freighter. “Unknown freighter, prepare to be boarded.”  
Instead of an answer the freighter’s laser cannons swiveled in the Outrider’s direction. The war veteran sighed and nodded to his son. “Fire!”  
Biggs pushed the button and two proton torpedoes were on their way towards the freighter to take the shield generator out.  
“Shields down.” Dash careful approached the freighter when Nomi and her sons felt something.  
“Turn her around and back away from the ship, father! They activated the self destruct.”  
Without hesitation Dash turned the Outrider and headed full throttle away from the doomed First Order freighter. Not too early. A chain reaction of explosions went through the vessel until it vanished in an inferno. Dash’s YT-2400 barely escaped the aftermath of the explosion.

Nomi sighed seeing and feeling the loss of so many lives for nothing. She unstrapped, stood up and left wordless the cockpit to go back to her bunk.


	55. The Admiral Raddus

When Corran saw Poe the next time the captain was furious.  
“Do you know what this woman called me? Flyboy! She called me flyboy!”  
The young Rendar looked at him not knowing what his friend was speaking about.  
“Who called you flyboy?” Corran asked having no idea what happened on the emergency bridge after he left. “Our new leader with the purple hair,” Dameron spat and clenched his fist. “She said she knows my kind.” The captain paced the room. “She might know flyboys, but she knows nothing about me. You get it? She knows nothing!” Corran nodded slowly. “When she knows you better she will value your abilities at the yoke.”  
The captain shrugged. “I don’t care what she thinks of me. I know what I’m able to do.”  
Dameron finally sat down on the next chair.  
Corran Rendar gave him a mischievous grin. “We all know this, my friend. What bothers me more than our purple haired leader is the question how the First Order found us. I mean, we were in hyperspace. Have you ever heard that it is possible to track a ship in hyperspace?”  
Dameron mulled over his friends question. “Not I know of. But somehow they managed to do just this it seems.”  
He stood up and shook his head. “Whatever led them to us, I don’t want this to happen again. Now I want to check on the general. There are too many rumors about her health state. I must see her with my own eyes.”   
Poe turned, opened the door and left the room leaving a thoughtful Jedi behind.

Corran paced the room. He tried to imagine how the First Order managed to trail the Resistance fleet even in hyperspace. The only possibility seemed to him, that Kylo Ren used the Force to track them. But he somehow doubted that his former friend has grown this powerful in his Force abilities. Maybe Master Skywalker was able to do this, but not the Jedi Master’s nephew, Ben Solo who turned against his uncle and all what he believed in to become Kylo Ren.

Corran shivered when he remembered what happened years ago. The night the academy was destroyed and his great love was killed. And now the man who did this was after them to destroy the Resistance once and for all. The young Rendar wondered if it was Kylo who fired the fatal shot that destroyed the Admiral Raddus’s bridge and nearly killed the general. This would have meant that he was ready to kill also his mother after killing his father at Starkiller Base. Corran shook his head. He couldn’t imagine doing this to his own parents.  
The young Jedi looked out of the viewport where the streaks of hyperspace passed by wondering what the future has up for him.


	56. Near the Unknown Regions

Aboard the Aquarius Dash Jr. watched how his mother left wordless the cockpit.  
He heard the bunk door slam shut and sighed. The young Jedi knew what was going on in his mother. And he wondered why she was so eager to attack the First Order freighter and its escorts. This wasn’t the Jedi way Master Skywalker taught him and his siblings. And he was pretty sure it wasn’t what his Jedi Master taught their mother ages ago.  
But maybe they all have to adapt to what the war requires of them. No chivalry, no mercy. Treat the enemy like the enemy treats you. He wondered if he would ever be able to do this. Attack first and not to strike only in defense.

Nomi slumped down on the cot and took a deep breath. She wished Dash would be with her and not aboard the Outrider a few clicks apart. The Jedi longed for her husband’s touch, the softness of his voice to comfort her. She knew that she violated everything a Jedi believed in with the attack on the freighter. Everybody would say that the end justifies the means but not her. She sighed when she realized that she even led her sons on this path which could be their downfall. She shivered, remembering her father who succumbed once to the dark side. The Civil War veteran wanted another fate for her children. She was glad that Tasherit and Jaden weren’t there when the First Order showed up at D’Qar.

When Nomi looked out of the viewport she saw nothing than the stars and the floating debris of the destroyed freighter and its escorts. There was no sign of the Resistance fleet yet. Nomi cast a glance at her chrono. She checked the coordinates again. Yes, they were at the rendezvous point. The Jedi reached out with the Force for her youngest son, but there was nothing. She was pretty sure that Corran was hiding in the Force so Kylo couldn’t sense him if being near. Finally she pushed the comm button and hailed the Outrider. Biggs answered her call. The one of her sons who seldom spoke more than necessary: “Mama?”  
“How are you doing, Biggs?” His mother asked. The young Jedi rolled his eyes. He wasn’t overly keen to speak with his mother about his feelings after the failed attack. Finally he brought himself to answer her. “Fine”  
The Jedi reached out with the Force to touch her son but was blocked. “Please, don’t do this, Mama. I’m no longer a little child.” His mother pulled back and sighed. “I can feel your emotions, Biggs. You can’t hide them from me.”  
“What have you thought how I feel? You said the freighter would be easy prey. Prey…you sounded like a pirate not like a Jedi.”  
His mother cringed hearing Biggs’s accusation. Pirates, it’s what the freighter’s captain called them. And now her own son called her the same. It hurt.   
“We are at war with them, Biggs.” “Oh good, that you remind me. I’ve nearly forgotten about this, Mama,” her son spat. She didn’t remember seeing the always calm and composed Biggs being this angry.  
“You killed before,” was her only answer. She felt at a loss.  
“Yes, I killed before,” her son’s response came, “but this was another case than here. I don’t want to speak about this. Father is resting and I could also need some rest. You should rest too, Mama.” Biggs cut the connection and settled in the pilot’s seat to take a nap.

His mother looked at the comm that fell silent wondering if it was really the right decision she made a few standard hours before.


	57. The Admiral Raddus

When Corran met the next time with Poe Dameron the captain was happier than the last times, even when the Admiral Raddus shuddered under the constantly shelling by the Supremacy.

“We found a way to stop the First Order to trail us,” Dameron said while he slumped in a chair. The young Jedi raised an eyebrow. Poe continued: “It’s obvious that they must have a hyperspace tracking system. We assume that it will be on their biggest ship –the Supremacy.”  
“Okay, but I don’t see how this helps. We have no fighters left after the attack that costs us every single fighter in the hangar and even nearly the whole high command. How do you want to attack this Mega-Star Destroyer?”  
Dameron grinned widely. “We won’t attack the Supremacy from the outside but the inside. Finn and a mechanic named Rose Tico are on their way to find the Master Codebreaker in Canto Bight.” Corran frowned. “In Canto Bight, the casino city on Cantonica?” The ace pilot nodded. His friend continued: “I heard of Finn. He’s a former First Order stormtrooper. But who’s Rose Tico? I’ve never heard of her.” Poe smiled. “I tell you sometimes. Now it’s important that they succeed. Cross your fingers or whatever Jedi are doing for luck.”

The young Jedi shook his head. “There’s much more than luck they need. Were you ever in Canto Bight? Everything’s expensive there. It’s a miracle that they refrain from even charging for the air you breathe. The rules are strict. One mistake and you find yourself in prison.”  
Dameron shrugged. “The codebreaker is the only chance we have, Corran.”  
“Why do you need this Master Codebreaker? Sorry, but I don’t get it, my friend.” Poe smiled when he answered. “He will help to bring Finn and Rose in to deactivate the tracking device. Maz Kanata told us about him and where we can find him.”  
The young Rendar looked at Poe in surprise. “You know Maz? She’s an old friend of our family. Our parents know her since decades. She gave Dash Jr. and Tasherit shelter after they escaped the massacre at the academy.” The captain nodded. “Yes, I know Maz. After we saved her butt on Takodana she said that I can contact her whenever I’m in trouble. If this isn’t trouble we’re in now, I don’t know what else could be trouble. I had the impression that Maz knows this codebreaker guy very well.”  
“You sent a former stormtrooper and a mechanic on such an important mission? You must be really desperate. Who tells you that you can trust Finn?” “Who tells you I can’t? The Force?” Poe’s counter questions came.  
Corran shrugged. “I don’t want to argue with you, Poe. I only mean that we know nothing about this guy.” “He saved my life,” Dameron answered silently. “Ever thought that it could be a ruse, that he could be a First Order spy?” “No,” Poe’s response came. “I trust Finn. We’re nearly out of fuel. It’s only enough left for one single jump. If they still can track us we’re done. I’ll go to the bridge. Maybe our purple haired leader will finally reveal her plans to me.” Dameron stood up and stepped to the door. “I miss Admiral Ackbar.” Then he left.

Corran looked at the closed door. Knowing the captain’s temper he wondered if the encounter with Admiral Holdo would be peaceful this time.


	58. Near the Unknown Regions

Dash woke up and looked at his chrono then he activated the intercom. “Still no sign of the fleet?” Biggs woke with a start hearing his father’s voice. He rubbed his eyes, looked out of the viewport and then on the sensor readouts. “No, father,” the young Jedi’s response came.  
The former mercenary frowned. “I wonder what takes them so long. I come over to the cockpit, Biggs. We should hail your mother.”

Dash stood up from the cot and stepped out of the bunk. Then he walked up to the cockpit where his son sat in the copilot’s seat. The light was dimmed and Dash saw Biggs only as a dark shape. He smiled seeing this and was proud that his son took all precautions he taught him when Biggs was still a toddler. Dash slumped in the pilot’s seat and activated the comm. “Aquarius here Outrider. Do you hear me?” “I hear you, Outrider,” the answer came with the voice he loved the most to hear. “Hello, sweetheart,” the Jedi Master’s husband said, smiling widely. “Hello, my love. Why are you calling?” Nomi asked. “I wonder what we’re doing now since the fleet doesn’t show up here. Do you have any contact to Corran?”  
The Jedi shook her head even her husband couldn’t see it. “No. Corran is hiding in the Force it seems. I can neither contact nor feel him, Dash.” Her husband tapped impatiently on the console. “So we’re totally blind? I don’t like this idea. So what we do now? Stay here and wait or go elsewhere?” His wife mulled the question over. Finally she came to a decision: “We go to Nar Shaddaa.”

“You heard your mother, Biggs. Set course for Nar Shaddaa.” His son punched wordless the coordinates in the nav computer. “When will we go?” Dash asked. “After breakfast, my love,” Nomi answered him.  
Just in this moment Dash Rendar realized how hungry he was. It was hours ago when he had the last meal. This was before the improvised funeral on D’Qar to precise. “I inform you when we’re ready, Nomi.” He cut the connection and stood up. “Come, son, we fetch something to eat.” Biggs stood also up and followed his father to the galley. Dash looked over his shoulder. Sometimes his son’s silent manner was going on his nerves. What his son Biggs was too silent his daughter Tasherit was too talky. He smiled thinking of his youngest.

“So, what do you want to eat, Biggs?” His son shrugged. “It doesn’t matter, Papa just something that fills the stomach. I’m not picky.” Dash rummaged in the locker and retrieved some cans. “It’s not much I have to offer.” He showed him the labels. The young Jedi frowned. “There’s no bread?” His father raised an eyebrow. “Sorry, son, there wasn’t enough time for replenishment.” Biggs grabbed one of the cans and opened it. “This will do, Papa. It’s better than protein bars.” He made a face mentioning the sparsely delicate food they get when being on field missions. Dash laughed and opened another can. “We can warm it, if you want.” Biggs nodded, emptied the content on a plate and put it in the heater. His father did the same and minutes later they sat silently at the table eating.

Meanwhile Dash Jr. was busy to prepare breakfast for his mother and himself onboard the Aquarius. If someone watched him doing this he wouldn’t think that the young man had lost his right arm in a lightsaber fight.  
“We should hurry that we can leave here, Mama.”  
“You think so, Junior?” His mother’s response came. The Jedi Master was sitting at the Dejarik table in the mid section. “Yes, I have a feeling that there will other First Order freighters coming this way out of the Unknown Regions. And they will be better protected for sure after the freighter we attacked had never arrived at its destination. They aren’t stupid,” her son answered while he brought the breakfast out of the galley. He settled across his mother on the bench and begun to eat.  
“So we go to Nar Shaddaa?” Dash Jr. took a sip of caf.  
Nomi nodded and swallowed the bite of bread she just chewed before answering. “Yes, it’s the best place for us. Nar Shaddaa was always a safe heaven. No government managed to take hold on the Smuggler’s Moon, neither the Empire nor the New Republic. And it will be the same for the First Order.” She grinned sardonically.  
“I hope you are right.” Her eldest son took another sip of caf to down the bite of bread. “I called Shug already on the secure channel.”  
“Good” The Jedi took the last bite and stood up. “I inform your father that we’re ready to go.”  
She walked over to the cockpit and strapped in after settling in the pilot’s seat. A few seconds later Dash Jr. jumped in the copilot’s seat and strapped also in. Then he punched the coordinates in the nav computer. “We’re ready to go, Mama.”  
Nomi smiled and hailed the Outrider. “Aquarius for Outrider, do you hear me?” “Yes, sweetheart,” Dash answered, “we’re ready to go. I was just about to call you.” He grinned “See you on Nar Shaddaa.” Biggs switched on the cockpit lights and activated the hyperdrive.  
“We’re too,” his wife’s response came. “Have a safe flight, Dash.”  
“Same to you, Nomi,” her husband answered. After this Dash Rendar cut the connection and made the jump to hyperspace, shortly after followed by the Aquarius.


	59. The Admiral Raddus

The Admiral Raddus

The MC85 Star Cruiser went more and more cramped. Every hour came new evacuees from Resistance ships the First Order blew to pieces.

Corran saw another pack of transports land on the hangar deck. If he recalled it right they came from the last ship left except of the Raddus. He sighed. The whole Resistance fleet destroyed. If they also go out of fuel they would be done. Then the Resistance would be only an intermezzo in the galaxy’s history. There was no hope in the eyes of the people who left the transports.

It was frustrating to see this happen. The Jedi turned to leave the hangar when he saw Poe Dameron coming from the emergency commando bridge. The captain looked more than angry when he was about to pass Corran. His friend stopped him and pulled him in a corner. “What happened?”  
Poe looked at the young Rendar and tried to loosen his friends grip. “They tried do deny me access to the bridge.” Corran smiled. “You wouldn’t be you if they succeeded in doing this.”  
Dameron nodded. “Holdo let me on the bridge actually. But she still refused to tell me about her plans.” He slammed his fist against the wall. The young Jedi tried to calm him down.  
“She must not tell you about her plans. The chain of command…” But Dameron seemed not to listen what his friend was trying to tell him. “Her plans… I realized what her plans are when I heard the sound and looked at the monitors of the bridge. She wants to evacuate the Raddus.”  
The Jedi looked at him taken aback. “Evacuate? But the transports are defenseless. No shields, no weapons... this is madness, Poe.” His friend nodded. “It’s exactly what I told her, but our purple haired leader refused to listen.” Corran frowned. “Simply told her or acting in your typical manner?” “I don’t know what you mean,” Dameron’s response came. “Ah ok, maybe I grew a bit louder and overreacted a bit. But she endangers the survival of the Resistance!” The ace pilot glared at his comrade. Rendar touched his friends arm “Calm down, Poe.” “There must be a way to stop this,” the captain mumbled. Corran raised an eyebrow. “You speak of mutiny?”  
“Why not? I’m pretty sure that the general would never abandon the only capitol ship we have left. She would agree with me.”  
“You think others will follow you?” His friend asked. “Of course, Lieutenant Connix already helped me to bring Finn and Rose on their way to Canto Bight. I’m pretty sure she will agree and help me, but what about you, Corran?” He looked expectantly at his friend.  
The young Jedi pondered the question over. Finally he came to a decision. “Alright, I’m with you, Poe.” Dameron smiled at him. “I knew you will support me. Now we must gather the others to talk about how we proceed. We’ll meet at 0800 in my quarters.”  
With this words he left to find more allies for his plan.


	60. Nar Shaddaa

While Poe Dameron planned his mutiny aboard the Admiral Raddus, the Aquarius and the Outrider landed on the Smuggler’s Moon.

Dash Jr. unstrapped and stretched after he cut the engines of his mother’s battered freighter.  
“Finally,” he said with a lopsided smile. “I’m looking forward to get freshly drawn Corellian ale.” His mother smiled back at him while unstrapping as well. She stood up and stretched. “Then what are we waiting for, Junior?” Her son winced inwardly. “Do me a favor and don’t call me this when we’re in the cantina, Mama.” The Jedi Master grinned widely at him and bowed tauntingly. “If you wish,” she answered her son. Then she headed to the hatch, opened it and lowered the ramp. Her son followed and took a deep breath. The young Jedi smiled. “Nothing has changed since I was here the last time. It’s the same stench, filth and pollution as ever.”  
Mother and son walked down the ramp just the moment as the Outrider’s ramp was also lowered. Dash Rendar had landed the YT-2400 alongside his wife’s ship.

Nomi’s heart skipped a beat when she saw her husband step out of the ship and walk down the ramp. Even after all those years his movements were still those of a predator, a very dangerous predator.  
She smiled at him and the former mercenary smiled back hurrying towards his wife: “Hello, Nomi, I missed you.”  
“I missed you too, my love. It was a long flight,” she said and tiptoed to kiss him.  
Behind his father Biggs approached slowly the rest of his family. “Hello, Mama. Hello, Dash,” he said nearly inaudible. Nomi turned to embrace her son but he backed away from his mother. “Don’t,” he said and smoothed his hair back so the scar at his forehead was to be seen. “I don’t like this.” The Jedi looked sad at her son. Something was broken inside him after the failed attack on the First Order freighter, she felt it. Dash Jr. slapped his brother on the shoulder. “We want to go in the cantina.” His brother only nodded.  
Dash laughed. “That’s a good idea, Junior. Let’s see if The Burning Deck is still here at the Corellian Sector.” He took his wife by the hand and walked in the direction he knew the cantina must be. Their two sons followed them.

Shortly after they reached the cantina named The Burning Deck.  
Dash Rendar grinned seeing the sign over the door. “Some things never change. I wonder if they still serve the best Corellian brandy I ever had.” He opened the door and entered followed by his family.  
The room was dim lit, but relatively clean for a location on Nar Shaddaa. The elder Rendar elbowed his way to the bar while his wife and sons sat down at a free table situated in a booth.  
The bartender turned when Dash cleared his throat to catch his attention. He looked as if seeing a ghost. “Dash Rendar? What are you doing here? There were rumors you’re dead, you old fossil.” The former mercenary winked at him. “As you see I’m alive, alive and thirsty, Tagg. You’ve still the Corellian brandy? I would like two glasses of it for me and my wife. And my two sons are eager to taste the Corellian ale you serve.” Tagg was all smiles when he poured the alcoholic beverages. “It’s good to see you again, Dash. Where have you been all those years?” Nomi’s husband made a sweeping gesture. “Sometimes here, sometimes there,” he answered vaguely. “Still the secret monger,” the bartender laughed. Dash laughed with him and took the tray with his order to go over to his family after throwing some credits on the bar. “My family is thirsty, Tagg.” The bartender nodded. “Ok, perhaps we can talk later, Dash.”

Dash walked over to his family, served the beverages and sat down at the table. He raised his glass and looked at his wife: “To you, my love.” Nomi raised her glass as well: “To you, darling.” Nomi took a sip of the amber colored brandy and savored the flavor.  
Dash Jr. and Biggs looked at each other grinning and clinked glasses before taking the first swig of their Corellian ale.  
“Ok, now we’re on Nar Shaddaa, any idea what to do now?” Dash looked expectantly at his family. His eldest took another swig of his ale before answering. “We could organize weapons and other supply for the Resistance,” he said. His younger brother shook his head. “The Resistance is dead, Dash. Look, they didn’t show up at the rendezvous point.” Dash Jr. looked at him angrily. “Don’t say this, Biggs. It isn’t over yet. I’m pretty sure that they escaped. The General could have adapted the plans to the current situation. We should listen if there are any transmissions by them.”  
Biggs raised an eye brow. “Then why they didn’t contact us?” His father shrugged. “I have no idea. Maybe the First Order is jamming their transmissions. It could have many reasons.”  
The red haired Resistance pilot took another swig of his brandy and leaned back savoring the flavor. Biggs nodded thoughtfully. “It seems they’re in big trouble this time. And Corran is with them. I don’t like this to be honest.”  
“I don’t like this either, Biggs,” his mother said. “But as long as Corran is hiding in the Force we have no possibility to contact him. We can only hope the best.” She emptied her glass and stood up. “Let’s go back to our ships. I’ll contact Shug tomorrow, maybe he has an idea how we can still support the Resistance.”  
Her family stood up likewise and together they walked back to their ships. Dash opened the Outrider’s hatch and lowered the ramp. “Biggs, you and Junior are sleeping here and your mother and I will sleep aboard the Aquarius.”  
His sons walked up the ramp. “Good night,” they almost said in unison before entering the YT-2400 freighter.  
“Good night,” answered their parents before both entered the Aquarius.  
“Finally alone, my love,” Dash said with an inviting smile while closing the hatch. “We have a lot to catch up on.”


	61. The Admiral Raddus

While Nomi and Dash caught up on what they missed during their separated travel in hyperspace, Poe Dameron rallied those he was almost certain that they would join his upcoming mutiny.

When Corran came to Poe’s quarters all were already gathered and looked at him, as he entered the room. He inclined his head, walked over to the only free spot and leaned against the wall. Poe stood in the middle of the room and took a deep breath before he begun to speak. “You all know what currently happens on the bridge. They fuel the transports to evacuate the Raddus. The last capitol ship we have. Holdo wants us to sit in transports without any weapons and any shields. The First Order can render us in space dust without any fightback from our side.”

There starts a murmur from all gathered in the room. Dameron commanded silence with a gesture of his hand. “I asked you to come here since we couldn’t allow this to happen. Our current leader refuses to tell us about her plans. What she is doing now is no option in my eyes. She’s about to destroy what the general built up.” A murmur went through the room again.  
Lieutenant Connix gave an affirmative nod before she took the floor. “Poe is right. General Organa would never agree with what Vice Admiral Holdo is doing. What we need is time. Time so Finn and Rose are able to accomplish their mission to disable the tracking device on the First Order’s Mega-Star Destroyer. And we are the only ones to give them this time.”  
Corran nodded approvingly, while Poe rose to speak again. “It will only take a few hours more until the transports are fueled. We must act before they man them and our comrades go onboard. If we can’t do this we’ll send them to certain death. Now listen to my plan.”

After Dameron finished explaining his plans to his conspirators he beckoned Lieutenant Connix, Ello Asty and two pilots their names Corran couldn’t recall. “Set your blasters on stun. I don’t want anybody to be killed.” He smiled at the four. “We meet at 1100 in the hangar bay where the transports are. I’m pretty sure that the vice admiral will be there to supervise the evacuation.” The four nodded and Poe shifted his attention to the young Rendar and the others he gathered in the room. “You stay behind as backup if something goes out of control. I doubt that everything will go smoothly to be honest. Holdo has a certain reputation to be a tough opponent.”  
“So you reckon with difficulties, Poe?” Corran asked carefully. Dameron folded his arms in front of his chest before he answered his friend’s question. “Yes. Have you ever heard about a mutiny that met no resistance?” The young Jedi shook his head. “Not really,” Corran’s answer came. His friend grinned widely. “See, therefore I need you as backup. I’ll see you in the hangar bay and maintain a low profile until then.”

The mutineers-to-be nodded and left Poe’s quarters to go back to their work stations until it would be time to take action.


	62. Shug's Space Barn

The next day Nomi went to Shug’s Space Barn. The Jedi Master smiled after she entered the workshop and looked around seeking Shug Ninx. It was the same hustle and bustle as ever in one of the best repair and assembly shops of the galaxy. Thanks the Force some things never changed it seemed.

Shug Ninx looked up from the hyperdrive motivator he was reassembling when Nomi tapped on his shoulder. “Hello, Shug.” The mechanic was all smiles after he turned and saw his old friend. He wiped his greasy hands with a cloth before embracing the small woman. “Nomi, it’s so good to see you. What are you doing here?”  
His old friend looked around seeing many new faces. “Not here, Shug.” The mechanic followed her line of vision. “I see, you prefer a more private place, Nomi.” As a response she nodded. “Then come in my office. There we can speak without someone could eavesdrop on us. I bet you’ve a lot to talk about.” He linked arms with her and together they walked over to the small office situated in a corner of the workshop.

Nomi sat down in front of the small desk and stretched her legs, while Shug sat down behind his desk after closing the door.  
He took two mugs and poured some caf. “I would serve you stronger stuff, but I’ve to work.”  
Shug smiled at her and took the first sip. “Okay, why are you here? It’s a while after you were here the last.” The Jedi smiled back and took the mug to warm her hands. “You’re right, my friend. We were sort of busy being with the Resistance.” Shug nearly chocked at his caf and coughed before he was finally able to speak. “You are with the Resistance? Aren’t you a bit too old for such adventures, Nomi?” His opposite laughed and took a sip of her caf. “You’re never too old to fight for freedom and justice. Old habits die hard, Shug.” She grinned widely. Shug looked at her. “Don’t tell me, that Dash is also with you.” His old friend nodded. “Dash and also our children,” she told him with a smile. Ninx shook his head. “You’re really crazy. I heard rumors about the First Order… you can’t win.” Nomi set the mug on the table and leaned over. “What rumors?” She asked. “A Mega-Star Destroyer and that they are able to track a ship in hyperspace,” Shug responded. The Jedi looked at him taken aback. “They can what?” The mechanic leaned back in his chair. “Hyperspace tracking,” he repeated like speaking to a child. “That’s impossible, Shug,” her nearly inaudible answer came.  
“As I said those are rumors, Nomi.” The Jedi leaned back again taking the mug and took a sip. “Every rumor has a grain of truth. If this is true the Resistance is in grave danger. Then Corran is in danger. He’s still with the Resistance.”  
“You left the Resistance? Why?” Ninx asked and raised an eye brow. Nomi shrugged. “Call it a feeling that there was trouble on the way to the base where we were. Corran refused to join us.” Shug smiled. “It seems he has inherited your stubbornness.” The Jedi Master looked at him. “You think I’m stubborn?”  
The mechanic nodded and grinned. “You are the most stubborn person I ever met. So why are you really here, my friend? I don’t believe that you came only to talk about the old times.”  
“You’re right, Shug. We want to retrofit the Aquarius and the Outrider.”  
Now totally businessman Shug leaned over and set his mug aside. “What do you need?”  
“Better shields, new laser cannons, state of the art nav systems plus new hyperdrive motivators.” Her friend made notes on his datapad while Nomi was speaking. When the Jedi ended he looked up. “Is this all?” She nodded. “Wow, this will be pretty expensive.” Shug gave a silent whistle. “How many credits will we have to spend?” His opposite’s question came. “Let me calculate.” His fingers were dancing over the datapad. “All in all 20,000 credits each, it’s a special price for a friend,” he said smiling. The pilot swallowed hard before she answered. “Okay, how long will it take?” Again the mechanic let his fingers dance over his pad. “It will be one standard week, honey.”

Nomi stood up. “I take you on your word, Shug. And now I must look for accommodations.”  
Her friend stood up too and came over to embrace her. “See you in a week.”  
The Jedi Master smiled and left shortly after Shug’s Space Barn, knowing that their beloved freighters will be in good hands.


	63. Rimmer's Rest

Nomi went back to the freighters where her family was waiting for her and entered the Outrider.  
“It’s all set. Shug will take care of our ships and install everything I asked for.”  
Dash smiled at his wife. “That is good to hear, but Shug’s Space Barn isn’t exactly a charity organization. So how much must we spend for his service?” The Jedi moved over to her husband and gave him a kiss before answering him. “It’s 40,000 credits for both ships. Shug made me a special price. It would have been much more if we weren’t old friends, my love.”  
The former mercenary smiled as his wife settled down on his lap. “It’s good to have friends all over the galaxy, darling,” he said and kissed her.  
Their two sons rolled their eyes seeing their parents acting like a couple just fallen in love and left for their quarters. There they packed what would be needed for a stay at a hotel or wherever. “I wonder where we will stay until the ships are retrofitted,” Dash Jr. said to his younger brother. Biggs shrugged and continued to pack. His brother frowned. “Care to speak with me, Biggs? The silence is unnerving. Being this way you’ll never find a girl friend.” His only a few minutes younger brother grinned. “Believe me, there are girls who actually like men who aren’t talkative like you.” Dash Jr. snorted with laughter. When he finally calmed down he smiled at his brother. “Is this so? I never saw a girl by your side.” Biggs looked down to the ground and mumbled: “They’re only hard to find.” His brother slapped him on the shoulder. “You’ll find a girl that fits, I’m pretty sure. But now let’s go back to our love birds.”  
He chuckled and left the quarters, heading back to the Outrider’s mid section where they minutes before had left their parents. Biggs followed hard on him.

Nomi and Dash were still busy with each other as their sons entered the place. Their eldest cleared his throat to get his parents’ attention. The Jedi turned her head and looked at her two sons. “We’re ready to go,” Dash Jr. said. “Do you have any idea where we’ll stay?”  
His mother nodded. “The Rimmer’s Rest, Junior. It’s a good place to stay for every spacer being on Nar Shaddaa.” Nomi’s husband nodded. “You will like it, Junior.” Dash Jr. raised an eye brow looking skeptical at his father. His old man laughed. “There are worse places on the Smuggler’s Moon. Let’s go.” Nomi stood up from her husband’s lap so he could stand up also. The former mercenary moved over to a corner to take his and Nomi’s bags. “We can go.”  
Dash opened the hatch and lowered the ramp. His family walked down the ramp followed by him. He turned and activated the anti-intruder device, after this he sent the code to Shug that the mechanic wouldn’t be roasted. Together they walked to the Rimmer’s Rest.

Dash Jr. looked at the façade. “So this is where we will stay for the next days? It doesn’t look this bad for Nar Shaddaa.” He opened the door and entered, followed by the other family members. His mother smiled seeing Sly Ruul standing behind the bar. She walked over.  
“Hello, Sly.” But before Sly was able to answer someone tapped Nomi on the shoulder. She turned and looked at a man she hadn’t seen a long time. “Kyle?” The man smiled widely at her. “What are you doing here, Nomi? I thought you anywhere else than here on Nar Shaddaa.” Then he sees Dash and his sons standing nearby. “Half of the family is with you? What happened? Where are Jaden and Tash?” Nomi puts a finger at her mouth. “Not here, Kyle.” Then she addressed Sly again. “We need two rooms, Sly.” The Klaatonian looked at the Jedi Master while handing over the key cards. “It’s nice to see you again after all those years. Many here remember how you and your friends saved our butts when the Imps attacked.” The Civil War veteran smiled at him and took the key cards. “Thank you, Sly.”  
Then she turned to Katarn. “We meet in one standard hour here in the cantina, Kyle?” He nodded.

Shortly after they entered their rooms and begun to unpack. Dash slumped on the bed and folded his hands behind his head after he stowed his few belongings away. “I wonder why Katarn is here.” His wife shrugged while hanging a jumpsuit in the locker. “Maybe he’ll tell us later, my love.” He unfolded his hands and pat with his right hand on the mattress. “Come here, darling. There is still enough time until we’ll meet Katarn.” Nomi closed the locker and went over to the bed and sat down at her husband’s site. She leaned her head against his shoulder and Dash wiped gently a stray of her graying hair from her forehead. “Sometimes I wonder why we’re still doing this, Nomi,” he said silently. “Doing what, darling?” She asked him while caressing his knee. “Fighting,” his response came. “Except our time on Dagobah we did nothing else. First the Empire and now the First Order. Will this ever end?” His wife huddled up against him before answering. “You know that I can’t stand injustice, Dash.” He kissed her head. “So do I, but I’m tired of all this, tired of war.” Nomi sighed. “If we let the First Order do as it pleased it will be worse than it was under the Empire. A whole planet transformed in a super weapon. Even the Emperor never went this far.” She looked at her chrono. “It’s time to meet Kyle, my love.” She wiggled out of her husband’s embrace and left the bed. Dash stood up and took Nomi’s hand. “I would have preferred to stay here with you.”  
He smiled at the small person standing by his side who reached only half to his chest.  
“Kyle is waiting for us, Dash.”  
Together they left their room and went back to the cantina.

When they entered they saw their sons and Kyle in a booth. From their body language Dash Jr. and Katarn seemed to be in an argument. Approaching them Nomi and Dash heard the angry voice of their eldest. “You’ve simply went away when our mother asked you to help, Kyle. You’ve no right to judge us.” Katarn tried to keep calm before answering the young Jedi sitting opposite of him. “I have my reasons to not join the Resistance, young man. Better to say no instead of how you acted now. Abandon them when they need you the most.” Dash Jr. glared at the older man. “Your son is fighting while you’re sitting in an armchair, Kyle.” Nomi stepped behind her son and put her hand on his shoulder. “Calm down, Junior,” she said silently.  
“He called us cowards, Mama.” The Jedi and her husband sat down at the table. “So we’re cowards in your eyes, Kyle?” Nomi asked the man whose life she saved decades ago.  
“I didn’t say it this way, Nomi.” Kyle looked in her eyes. “And how did you say it?” Dash’s question came before his wife had any chance to say something. “Not as harsh as your son claimed, Dash.” Biggs nodded affirmatively. “We had our reason to go like you have your reason to not join our ranks, Kyle.” Dash waved the waiter droid over and ordered drinks for his wife and himself.” Katarn nodded and took a swig before speaking. “So where are Tash and my son? And why isn’t Corran with you?”

The waiter droid served the drinks and the elder Rendars took a swig of the Corellian ale before Nomi answered Kyle Katarn’s questions. “Jaden and Tasherit are on mission. I think you understand that I can’t tell you where and what their mission is about.” The former Rebel nodded slowly. “Corran stays with the Resistance,” the Jedi Master continued. “He refused to come with us despite he also felt that the First Order would attack the base soon. We waited at the rendezvous point for our comrades to show up, but they never did. So we went here to decide how to carry on.” Katarn raised an eye brow. “You have no intel about what happened at base? But Corran…” Nomi interrupted him. “Our son is hiding in the Force. We have no possibility to contact him.” “This is unfortunate,” Kyle’s response came. “Something tells me, that you should tap into the old Alliance frequencies we used during our fight against the Empire.”   
Nomi nodded thoughtfully, emptied her glass, and then she stood up to leave. “Maybe you’re right Kyle. I’ll give it a try.”


End file.
